
Classffl?£.45_ 
Book W hAS 



HISTOEY 

OF THE 

Reformed Church 

WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE 

WESTMORELAND CLASSES. 



EDITED BY A 

COMMITTEE OF CLASSIS. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
REFORMED CHURCH PUBLICATION BOARD, 
907 Arch Street. 



4* 



A 



PREFACE. 



At a meeting of the Westmoreland Classis, held at 
Irwin, Pa,, October 13th, 1876, a Committee, consist- 
ing of the following persons, namely: Revs. John VV. 
Love, John M. Titzel, Nicholas P. Hacke, D. D. ? John 
I. Sw r ander, and Rev. Prof. Lucian Cort, were ap- 
pointed to edit and publish a History of the Reformed 
Church, within the bounds of this Classis, to be pre- 
faced by a brief outline of the history of the Reformed 
Church in the United States. 

The Committee thought best to publish the work in 
the form of independent sketches of the history of 
charges and congregations, prepared by those whose 
names appear in connection with each sketch, reserving 
only the right to strike out any irrelevant matter, or 
modify such expressions and sentences as, in their judg- 
ment, might be deemed objectionable. 

It is believed that the little book here presented to 

the public will be read with interest and profit. Many 

3 



4 PREFACE. 

facts, pertaining to the history of the Reformed Church 
in Western Pennsylvania, would soon have been lost 
forever, as many others have been — but which are here 
rescued from forge tfulness, and put in permanent form. 
It is hoped these pages will serve to call out a stronger 
love for the Reformed Church, and stimulate her 
membership to labor the more earnestly to promote 
her growth and prosperity. 

J. W. L., 

Chairman of Committee. 

Greensburg, Pa., March 5th ; 1877. 



CONTENTS. 



History of Reformed Church in the United 



States, .... 3-22 
History of Reformed Church in Westmore- 
land Classis, . . . 23-31 

FIRST GREENSBURG CHARGE, . . 35-38 

I. Harrold's Congregation, . . 38-48 

II. Brush Creek " . . 48-58 

III. First Greensburg Congregation, 59-73 

IV. Manor, " . 73-88 

MT. PLEASANT CHARGE, . . . 89-92 

I. St. Peter's Congregation, . . 92-94 

II. St. John's " . . 95-98 

III. St. Paul's " . . 98-102 - 

IV. Zion's " . . 102-105 

LATROBE CHARGE,. 

I. Ligonier Congregation, . . 109-113 

II. Youngstown tl . . 114-] 17 

III. Pleasant Unity Congregation, . 117-122 

IV. Latrobe " , . 122-126 

v 



vi 



CONTENTS. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE, 

I. Emmanuel Congregation, . . 127-137 

II. Olive " . . 138-146 

ST. JAMES' CHARGE 

I. St. James' Congregation, . . 147-153 

II. Zion's " . . 154-158 

SECOND GREENS BURG CHARGE 

I. Second Greensburg Congregation, . 159-169 

II. St. Paul's or Seaner's " 169-173 

III. Trinity, " . 174-176 

SALEM CHARGE, 

I. Trinity Congregation, . . 177-194 

II. Fennel's " . . 194-201 

IRWIN CHARGE, .... 203-210 

PINE RUN CHARGE, . . . 211-218 

SCOTTD ALE CHARGE, . . . 219-224 

EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS, . . 225-232 



REFORMED CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. 



By Bey. JOHN M. TITZEL. 



THE 



REFORMED CHURCH 

IN THE 

UNITED STATES. 



BY REV. JOHN 3L TITZEL, 



The Reformed Church in the United States is an 
offshoot from the Reformed Church of Germany and 
Switzerland, and an unbroken, historical continuation 
of the same on American soil. As a distinct branch of 
the Christian Church it was called into existence by 
the great religious movement* of the sixteenth century, 
which gave birth to Protestantism. This movement, 
which made a new epoch in the history of Christianity, 
and by which great and dangerous errors w r ere ex- 
ploded, and great and important truths for the first 
time fully and distinctly brought into view, and a new r 
impetus and increased purity given to the life of the 

*The movement manifested itself in different lands about the 
same time, so that we can hardly say where precisely it commenced* 
It embraced, however, two different tendencies, which resolved them- 
selves into two distinct communions, the Eeformed and the Lutheran. 
Of these, the Reformed may be said to be the earlier. 



4 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



religious world "was the result," says Hase, "not of 
literary improvement, though in connection with it, nor 
of contests with the papacy, although much of its suc- 
cess was owing to the arrogance and corruptions of that 
system, but principally of the fear which pious persons 
felt, lest true repentance and salvation should be utterly 
lost sight of in the eager chase after indulgences and 
human merit/' It was no absolute rupture with the 
old life of the Catholic Church, but on the contrary only 
its true and legitimate continuation in a higher and 
more fully developed form. Accordingly, the Re- 
formed Church, although its denominational existence 
dates back only to the sixteenth century, is, neverthe- 
less, in true succession a part of the Church founded by 
the Lord Jesus Christ, and fully endowed with power 
from on high, for the salvation of men, when on the 
day of Pentecost the disciples were filled with the Holy 
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the 
Spirit gave them utterance. 

How this branch of the Church of Christ came to 
be designated by the name which it bears, is thus stated 
by Dr. J. Williamson Nevin, in his admirable History 
of the Heidelberg Catechism : " The Reformed Church 
acquired its distinctive title first in France ; not with 
any reference, of course, to the Lutheran Protestantism 
of Germany, which was regarded as in all material re- 
spects one and the same interest j but in opposition 
wholly to the Church of Rome, against whose exclu- 
sive pretensions it claimed to be the true Church of 
Jesus Christ, now purged from the errors and abuses 
under which the truth had been previously so long op- 
pressed. It was simply the Catholio Church Reformed. 



IJf THE UNITED STATES. 



5 



Afterwards, however, the title, as transferred to the 
Church in Switzerland, and then to other countries, 
came to be distinctive particularly of that part of the 
Protestant w T orld, which refused to be called Lutheran. 
By assuming the last name, the body thus denominated, 
divided itself openly from the other Confession ; which 
was thus left in exclusive possession of the original 
general appellation, the Reformed Church; and this be- 
came accordingly thenceforward a technical title, carry- 
ing in it a reference to Lutheranism on the one hand, 
as well as to Romanism on the other." 

u Under this general title," continues the same 
writer, " was comprehended, in the sixteenth century, 
the national Protestantism, not only of Switzerland and 
France, but of the Netherlands also, and Scotland and 
England. The same faith, substantially, became tri- 
umphantly established, after a short time, in the Ger- 
man Palatinate; and in the end it prevailed extensively 
in other parts of Protestant Germany also, in competi- 
tion with the other Confession." 

Until within the last decade, the Reformed Church 
in the United States was officially known as the German 
Reformed Church, and it is still sometimes so called, 
It was thus originally designated in this country in 
order to distinguish it from other Reformed Churches 
differing from it in national origin, and, also, to some 
extent, in doctrine and mode of worship. At the meet- 
ing of the General Synod of the Church held in Phila- 
delphia in the year 1869, it was, however, officially an- 
nounced that by the action of the Classes, the word 
" German " was dropped from the title of the Church, 
and that the official title from that time would be, the 



6 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



Reformed Church in the United States of North America. 
The action which brought about this change was taken, 
because it was generally felt that the word "German " 
was misleading, inasmuch as it caused persons who were 
not fully acquainted with the Church to suppose that 
its services were conducted exclusively in the German 
language, while, in fact, in many of its churches, the 
English language alone was used. The present name 
of the Church is not without its objectionable feature 
also, inasmuch as what was known as the Reformed 
Protestant Dutch Church, about the same time dropped 
the words Protestant Dutch out of its title, so that 
there are now in our country two Reformed Churches, 
differing? in name only in this; that the official title of 
the one is, The Reformed Church in the United States ; 
and that of the other, The Reformed Church in America. 
This close resemblance in name often leads those who 
are not well versed in the history of Religious De- 
nominations to confound the churches of the one de- 
nomination with those of the other, although there is 
some difference in their doctrinal views and also in their 
mode of worship ; the last named church being more 
rigidly Calvinistic and less liturgical than the first 
named. Sometimes the Reformed Church in the 
United States is also confounded with the Presbyterian 
Church, by being considered the German branch of that 
Church, and looked upon as its offspring. These two 
Churches are not, however, by any means just the same 
in all respects excepting language, as is sometimes sup- 
posed ; and the Reformed Church is rather the mother 
than the daughter of the Presbyterian, being the older 
of the two. 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 



7 



On American soil the Reformed Church in the 
United States was established by German emigrants, 
who already, as early as 1702, in considerable numbers 
left their homes in Germany, Switzerland and certain 
districts of France, to seek their fortunes, and to find a 
refuge from religious persecution and political oppres- 
sion, in the new world. " Many of these emigrants," 
says Dr. Harbaugh, in his valuable Life of Rev. 
Michael Schlatter, " were truly pious, and -though not 
able to bring their ministers, brought with them their 
Catechisms, Hymn-books, and other devotional books, 
and in some cases also pious school-masters. They 
formed congregations and schools ; and where they had 
no ministers, sought to edify each other by singing, and 
listening to sermons and prayers read by the school- 
master." The first church built by these persons of 
the Reformed faith, was a log building erected at Skip- 
pach, in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, in 1726, 
and its first pastor was the Rev. George M. Weiss, w T ho 
arrived in this country in 1727. In 1730 the Re- 
formed population is said to have been about fifteen 
thousand. When Rev. Schlatter arrived in 1746, he 
found forty-six congregations of the Reformed faith 
more or less perfectly organized, and estimated the Re- 
formed population to be about thirty thousand at that 
time. But he found very few Reformed ministers here 
to supply this comparatively large population with 
spiritual food, and these few were, in a great measure, 
laboring independently. Through the efforts of Rev. 
Schlatter, however, they were -brought together soon 
after his arrival, and formed themselves with their con- 
gregations into a Synod, or Coetus, as it was then called. 



8 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



The first regular meeting of this body was held in 
Philadelphia September 29th, 1747, and consisted of 
five ministers and twenty-six elders. It was organized, 
subject to the authority and supervision of the Re- 
formed Synod of Holland, and remained thus subject 
until 1792, annually reporting its proceedings to this 
Synod for approval or disapproval, and receiving from 
it in return well-educated ministers, together with con- 
tributions of Bibles, Catechisms and Hymn-books, and 
also money. 

The connection with the Reformed Church of Hol- 
land w r as broken up by the disturbed condition of 
things in Europe in 1792, and the Synod in the United 
States then became an independent body. At the time 
the separation took place, only nineteen ministers were 
connected with the Synod, and it was the only church 
judicatory of the (German) Reformed faith in this 
country, excepting, of course, the consistories of the dif- 
ferent congregations. It was not until 1819 that the 
Synod was divided into Classes; and it met, in 1820, 
for the first time as a body wholly composed of delegates. 

From 1792 to 1825 the aspect of things in the Re- 
formed Church in the United States was, in many re- 
spects, discouraging. Though there was, during this 
period, a gradual increase in the number of ministers 
and members, yet there was a marked decline in the 
church life, especially in religious knowledge and true 
spirituality. Instead of advancing intellectually, theo- 
logically, and morally, the Church as a whole rather re- 
trograded in all these respects. This w r as due to vari- 
ous causes. In part it was owing, unquestionably, to 
the small number of ministers, and the consequently 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 



9 



large pastoral charges which they served, which often 
made it utterly impossible for the same congregation to 
have preaching more than once in eight and even twelve 
weeks. That the people under such circumstances 
should be poorly instructed, and grow indifferent to re- 
ligion, is not at all surprising. It could, indeed, scarcely 
be otherwise. But there were other causes at work also. 
The Church had no schools for training its ministers, 
and consequently they could not be well qualified to in- 
struct the people, being themselves in some cases quite 
ignorant. Pious and devout many of these ministers, 
indeed, were, but piety, important as it is in a minister 
of the Gospel, cannot of itself supply the want of 
proper training and instruction, as is sometimes ima- 
gined. Then, difficulties also grew out of the use of 
the German language, which, owing to the want of 
German schools and the surrounding English, became 
not only greatly deteriorated, but was often no longer 
understood correctly by the young while yet the elder 
persons insisted on having all the services of the Church 
conducted in it alone. In view of these things even, 
without taking other causes which existed into con- 
sideration, it is, indeed, surprising that the condition of 
things did not become worse than it really was. At 
the close of this period there were belonging to the Re- 
formed Church eighty ministers, and about eighteen 
thousand communicant members. 

In 1825 a Theological Seminary was established 
and opened at Carlisle, Pa. Subsequently it was re- 
moved to York, Pa. ; then to Mercersburg, Pa. ; and is 
now located at Lancaster, Pa. When it opened it had 
only one professor ; now it has three. A classical school 

1* 



10 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



was established in connection with the Seminary at 
York in 1831. This school, in 1836, by an act of the 
Pennsylvania legislature, became Marshall College, lo- 
cated at Mercersburg. In 1853 this College was re- 
moved to Lancaster, and united with Franklin College, 
the joint institution bearing now the name of Franklin 
and Marshall College. With the establishment of these 
institutions of learning, a new era dawned in the Re- 
formed Church in the United States. Since then it has 
made rapid and encouraging progress in every respect. 
In the general intelligence and piety of its members, in 
its literary and theological activity, and in its benevolent 
enterprises, the Reformed Church now compares favora- 
bly, in proportion to its numbers, with any of the other 
religious denominations in our land. Within the last 
fifty years, it is true, differences of opinion in some cases 
have manifested themselves in it, and warm, earnest 
controversies have been carried on, but thes*e things in- 
stead of hindering have rather promoted the growth of 
the Church. Of late years no Church in the country has 
been gaining more steadily in true strength. 

As regards its doctrinal standards, the Reformed 
Church in the United States holds "that the Holy 
Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, which are 
called canonical scriptures, are genuine, authentic, in- 
spired, and therefore divine scriptures; that they contain 
all things which relate to the faith, the practice and the 
hope of the righteous, and are the only rule of faith 
and practice in the Church of God ; that consequently, 
no traditions, as they are called, and no mere conclu- 
sions of reason, which are contrary to the clear testi- 
mony of these scriptures, can be received as rules of 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 



11 



faith or of life." It accepts, however, the Heidelberg 
Catechism as its Confession of Faith, believing (C the 
doctrines of the Catechism to be the doctrines revealed 
to us in the Bible." This Catechism receives its name 
from the city of Heidelberg, where it was first adopted.* 
It has been generally received and praised by the Re- 
formed Churches of all countries, as an orthodox state- 
ment of Christian doctrine in the form of question and 
answer. 

In its theology the Heidelberg Catechism is, of course, 
decidedly Protestant. With the peculiar dogmas of the 
Church of Rome it has no sympathy whatever, but it 
sets forth and maintains in the most positive way the 
fundamental and distinguishing doctrines of Protestant- 
ism, as they were held in the sixteenth century. It is 
also decidedly Reformed. In its view of the sacraments 
it is not Lutheran, but Calvinistic. To its statements 
with reference to Baptism and the Lord's Supper, the 
Reformed Church generally was most ready to sub- 
scribe. 

But though decidedly Protestant and Reformed, it is 
yet in its general character conciliatory and irenical. 

* This Catechism owes its existence to the desire of Frederick the 
Third, surnamed the Pious, Elector of the Palatinate, to harmonize 
the conflicting religious elements in his electorate. He appointed 
Casper Olevi anus and Zacharias Ursinus to prepare it. After they 
had completed it the elector called together at Heidelberg a Synod 
of the superintendents and pastors of the entire Palatinate, and sub- 
mitted the work to them. Having examined it carefully, the Synod 
was pleased with its accuracy and comprehensiveness, and requested 
that it might be adopted, and given to the public. Accordingly, the 
elector issued a decree, ordering its publication and use. This de- 
cree was dated, Jan. 19th, 1563. 



12 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



The Palatinate in which it originated contained within 
its bounds not only persons inclined to Calvinistic 
views of the sacraments, but also Lutherans and Zwing- 
lians, and one of the objects of the Catechism was to set 
forth Christian doctrine in such a way that all might 
subscribe to it. Hence it is in a general way compre- 
hensive, and avoids dialectic subtleties. It admits of 
some diversity of view with respects to many knotty 
points of theology, especially of Calvinistic theology. 
While it teaches that Christ is really partaken of in the 
Lord's Supper, it does not attempt to explain the mode. 
While it teaches the sovereignty of God and man's free 
agency, it avoids Fatalism on the one hand, and Pela- 
gianism on the other. It does not declare the doctrine 
of an unconditional election, of irresistible grace, and of 
the perseverance of the saints, yet it does not positively 
assert that these are false and erroneous. Its indefinite- 
ness on some of these points has been made an objection 
to it, but we believe it to be one of its chief excellencies. 

The spirit of the Catechism, moreover, is thoroughly 
churchly. It assumes throughout that the Church is 
the bearer of a divine life, and that all those who are 
baptized stand in connection with this life. Hence, it 
addresses itself not to such as have no interest whatever 
in Christ, but to those who are really His children, and 
the answers which it gives to the various questions pro- 
posed, are the answers of one who belongs not to him- 
self but to his faithful Saviour. It looks upon and re- 
presents religion, as a life starting in baptism. Through 
this sacrament as the channel, grace is objectively ex- 
hibited to all who are its subjects, and brought within 
the reach of such, or rather they are placed into connec- 



I2V THE UNITED STATES. 



13 



tion with the life of the Church, the regenerating power 
of the life of Christ. In order, however, that any one 
may be truly benefited by this grace, he must subjec- 
tively appropriate it — must make a proper use of the 
privileges and benefits which he enjoys. Otherwise they 
will be a savor of death unto death, instead of a savor 
of life unto life. In this respect the Catechism har- 
monizes fully in its conception of religion with the 
views entertained by the early Church, and by nearly 
the whole, if not the whole, Protestant Church of the 
sixteenth century. 

The plan of the Catechism, it is said, was derived 
from St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Whether this 
be so or not, it is certain that divine truth is presented 
in the same order in the Catechism as in the Epistle 
just named. As St. Paul in this, the most scientific and 
systematic of all his Epistles, first shows the sinfulness 
and helplessness of man, then unfolds the great plan of 
salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord, and finally 
concludes with directions as to how Christians should 
manifest their gratitude by a holy and godly walk ; so 
the Catechism first treats of the misery of man, secondly, 
of his deliverance, and thirdly, of thankfulness. 

In the first part of the Catechism, which treats of 
man's misery, we are taught that the knowledge of sin 
comes through the law of God, that God created man 
good, that by his own wilful disobedience he became 
depraved, that this depravity is such that man can do 
no good ; and that God cannot permit the disobedience 
of man to go unpunished. In this part it w r ill be ac- 
cordingly observed that the human race is represented 
as an organic w T hole, and that it is emphatically taught 



14 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



that man is wholly incapable of meriting God's favor, 
and that this incapacity is the result of man's own ac- 
tion. How man being created good came to disobey 
God, how a good-will could determine itself to become 
evil, this the Catechism does not endeavor to explain. 
It is content to state on this point what the Bible states, 
and to leave the hidden things to God. 

In the second part of the Catechism, which treats of 
man's deliverance, we are taught that we can only be 
saved from the consequences of the disobedience of our 
first parents, and of our own personal transgressions, 
through the Lord Jesus Christ, God manifest in the 
flesh. It is only in virtue of the atonement which He 
made when He offered Himself as a propitiation for 
the sin of the world, that it is possible for us to escape 
" everlasting punishment, both of body and soul." 
That we may be saved through Christ, it is necessary, 
however, that we be " ingrafted into Him, and receive 
all His benefits by a true faith. r) As the Catechism 
teaches that the ruin is organic, so it also teaches that 
redemption is organic. In virtue of our union with 
Adam we are sinners, and under the curse of the law, 
and by union with Christ we can alone become free 
from condemnation. The organ through which such 
union is effected, the Catechism teaches, is faith only. 
If we would be saved, we must believe. " True faith," 
we are further taught, " is not only a certain knowledge 
whereby I hold for truth all that God has revealed 
unto us in His word, but also an assured confidence 
which the Holy Ghost works by the Gospel in my 
heart ; that not only to others, but to me also, remission 
of sin, everlasting righteousness and salvation are freely 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 



15 



given by God, merely of grace, only for the sake of 
Christ's merits." The objects of this faith, we are still 
further taught, are the great facts set forth in the " arti- 
cles of our undoubted, Christian faith " — the Apostles' 
Creed — all of which centre in the person of Christ. We 
are not called upon to believe the Bible simply, or a 
certain system of doctrine, but to have faith in Jesus. 
Such faith, however, includes in it all things set forth 
in the Creed. 

When it is asked, " Whence doth this faith pro- 
ceed ?" the Catechism answers, " From the Holy 
Ghost, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching 
of the Gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacra- 
ments." It knows of no salvation apart from the 
Church. If we would be saved we must make use of 
the means of grace. The preaching of the Word and 
the sacraments are the only means through which it 
represents faith 10 be wrought by the Holy Ghost, and 
confirmed in the heart of man. Baptism it teaches is 
not merely a sign of regeneration, but a solemn au- 
thentication of the fact itself, and the Lord's Supper 
not a merely commemorative act, but the bearer of 
divine food with which the soul is nourished to ever- 
lasting salvation. Why it is, that these means of grace 
are effectual in the case of some and not in that of 
others, it no where teaches. This part of the Cate- 
chism concludes with the doctrine respecting the power 
of the keys, which power it makes to consist in the 
preaching of the Word, and in Church discipline, the 
object of which should always be, not the punishment 
of the unworthy but their salvation. 

In the third part of the Catechism, which treats of 



16 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



thankfulness, we are taught that though "we are de- 
livered from our misery, merely of grace through Christ, 
without any merit of ours," yet we must still do good 
works. It is not sufficient for our salvation, that the 
good seed should be sown into our hearts, but that it 
should also spring up and bear fruit. We must not 
only by baptism be planted into Christ, but we must 
also take root and grow up in Him. We must not only 
be redeemed, but also renewed by the Holy Ghost after 
the image of Christ, "that so we may testify our grati- 
tude to God for His blessings, and that He may be 
praised by us." Now there are two forms in which 
this gratitude must manifest itself, the Catechism 
teaches, in acts and in words — in good works and in 
prayer. Good works it defines as " only those which 
proceed from a true faith, and are performed according 
to the law of God," and prayer as " that chief part of 
thankfulness w 7 hich God requires of us," and without 
which He will not give us His grace and Holy Spirit. 
With the consideration of the Lord's Prayer, which, it 
teaches us, " comprises all things necessary for soul and 
body," the Catechism most beautifully and appro- 
priately closes. 

In accordance with the teaching of its Catechism, the 
Reformed Church baptizes the infants of believing 
parents, and considers all who are thus baptized as be- 
longing to the Church and under its care. When those 
baptized in infancy arrive at sufficient age, it requires 
that they should be properly instructed in the truths of 
religion as taught in the Catechism, and that, after 
having sustained a creditable examination as to their 
religious knowledge and experience, on public profes- 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 



17 



sion of faith, should be admitted into full communion 
with the Church by the rite of confirmation, or laying 
on of hands by the minister. For the conversion of 
sinners the Reformed Church trusts to the proper use of 
the means of grace instituted by Christ, and disapproves 
of all sensationalism, and the employment of mere 
human devices for creating religious excitement. The 
necessity of true, vital, or, as it is sometimes called, ex- 
perimental religion, it emphatically teaches, as is evi- 
dent from the third part of the Catechism ; but such 
vital religion it holds, in accordance with the Bible, 
manifests itself in inward and outward conformity of life 
to the law of God, and not merely in pious ejaculations, 
excited feelings, and outward parade of godliness. All 
persons applying for membership in the Reformed 
Church, are examined by the Consistory, and, if found 
properly qualified, are received by confirmation, except- 
ing such as are members in full communion with some 
other branch of the Christian Church, who are received 
by certificate. Such as have never been baptized are 
first baptized and then confirmed. Perfection of life is 
not demanded as a requisite to membership, but only 
a genuine forsaking of sin, a sincere faith in Christ, and 
an earnest desire to lead a holy and godly life. 

The mode of public worship in the Reformed Church 
in the United States is somewhat different in different 
churches. In most of the churches the regular services 
on the Lord's Day are conducted in what is usually 
called a free way, and consist of an invocation, singing 
of a hymn or psalm, reading of the Scriptures, prayer 
(the congregation standing), singing of a hymn or psalm, 
sermon, prayer, singing, doxology and benediction. In 



18 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



a goodly number of churches, however, a liturgy is 
used, and the order of the Church-year is observed. On 
communion occasions, at ordinations, installations, bap- 
tisms, confirmations, laying of corner-stones, consecra- 
tion of churches, burial of the dead, &c, liturgical 
forms are almost universally used. A preparatory ser- 
vice is always held immediately before communion, and 
it is made the duty of the minister and elders to see 
that no unworthy persons receive the communion. 
Wherever possible, a week-day evening prayer meeting 
or service is held. At this service the congregation usu- 
ally pray kneeling. Catechetical instruction in most 
churches is regularly imparted to the young at stated 
times. No hymn-books or liturgies are allowed to be 
used in the public worship of the Church, and no Cate- 
chisms for the instruction of the young, save such as are 
approved of by the higher judicatories of the Church. 

The government of the church is presbyterial.* The 
lowest court or judicatory is the Consistory. It is com- 
posed of the minister, elders and deacons of a congrega- 
tion. It has supervision of the congregation. The 
elders and deacons, who are simply congregational offi- 
cers, and to whom is intrusted respectively the spirit- 
ual and temporal oversight of the congregation, are 

* Presbyterial in distinction from papal, Episcopal, Congrega- 
tional, &c. The word presbyterial is derived from the Greek word 
for elders, which, in the iSfew Testament Scriptures, is used to de- 
signate the ministry. The government is called presbyterial, be- 
cause it is a government by elders. St. Paul in his First Epistle to 
Timothy speaks of elders who rule,^and labor in word and doctrine, 
and of such as rule only. The first of these in the Keformed Church 
are called ministers, and the last simply elders. In its ecclesiastical 
judicatories, accordingly, there is, properly speaking, no direct lay 
representation. 



m THE UNITED STATES. 



19 



elected by its communicant members, and serve for a 
stated term of years, which varies in different churches. 
The next higher judicatory is the Classis or Presbytery. 
It consists of the ministers within a certain geographi- 
cal district, together with a delegate elder from each 
charge within the district. The elder of a charge is ap- 
pointed by the Consistory, or Joint Gonsistories, of the 
Charge. The Classis has supervision of the ministers 
and churches within its bounds, and adjudicates all 
'cases which may be brought before it by appeal from 
the consistories. It meets in regular session annually, 
and has authority to license and ordain candidates for 
the ministry, confirms calls to ministers, and installs 
them, dissolves pastoral relations, and authorizes the or- 
ganization of new congregations. Above the Classis is 
the Synod. This is composed of a number of Classes, 
not less than four, and has the same jurisdiction over 
them that they have over the consistories within their 
bounds. It meets annually, either in convention of all 
the ministers located within its bounds, together with 
an elder from each pastoral charge ; or else as a body 
of delegates from the Classes connected with it. To the 
Synods it pertains to make provision for preparing 
young men for the ministry, and to carry forward and 
superintend through their boards the work of missions, 
and of beneficiary education, and other general interests 
of the church. The highest court or judicatory is the 
General Synod, which represents the whole Church, and 
is the last resort in all cases respecting the government 
of the Church, not finally adjudicated by the Synods. 
It is composed of ministers and elders elected by all the 
Classes, and meets triennially at such time and place as 



20 



THE REFORMED CHURCH 



may be determined at the preceding meeting. All 
changes in the Constitution of the Church must be 
made by the General Synod, and no Catechism, Hymn- 
book, or Liturgy, is allowed to be used in the public 
worship of the Church unless adopted or approved by 
it. Before its action as regards these things can have 
binding validity in the whole Church, however, they 
must be transmitted to all the Classes and approved by 
two-thirds of the whole number. All these ecclesiastical 
judicatories have not merely advisory but also judicial^ 
and legislative power, and may at any time meet in 
special session, provided notice of such meeting be pro- 
perly given beforehand. At special meetings, however, 
only such matters as are definitely named in the call for 
the meeting, can be officially acted upon. 

With reference to other Christian Churches, the Re- 
formed Church has always pursued a liberal policy. 
Realizing the importance of Christian unity, and recog- 
nizing the fact that now " we know in part and we pro- 
phesy in part" only, it tolerates honest difference in 
doctrine, so long as the fundamental truths of the 
Christian religion are accepted and sincerely adhered to. 
Hence it recognizes all Churches holding these truths 
as parts together with it of the Church of Christ, and 
accordingly acknowledges the validity of their ordina- 
tions, administration of the sacraments, and other 
Church rites. At its communions members of other 
Christian denominations, in good and regular standing 
in their own churches, are almost invariably invited to 
participate in the celebration of the Lord's Supper, as 
it holds that true Christian oneness must be sought and 
can be found only in that charity, or rather love, which 



JLV THE UNITED STATES. 



21 



St. Paul so glowingly describes in his First Epistle to 
the Corinthians ; and not in mere sameness of doctrinal 
statements. 

In establishing and sustaining Literary, Theological 
and Benevolent Institutions, and in publishing Re- 
ligious Periodicals, the Reformed Church in the United 
States, as already indicated, has, during the last thirty 
years, manifested marked activity. At present there 
are connected with it and supported by it nineteen dif- 
ferent Institutions. Of these six are regularly chartered 
Colleges, two regular Theological Seminaries, one a Mis- 
sion House, four Academies, four Female Seminaries, 
and two Orphan Homes. All these institutions will 
compare very favorably with similar institutions con- 
nected with other Churches in our country. There are 
published by the Church ten Religious Periodicals, of 
which seven are in the English language, and three in 
the German. Four of these are religious newspapers, 
three being issued weekly, and one bi-weekly ; three 
are Sunday-School papers ; two are Magazines for the 
young and Sunday-School teachers; and one is a 
Quarterly Review. These publications without excep- 
tion maintain a high position among similar publica- 
tions issued elsewhere. Lesson Papers for Sunday- 
Schools, and Sunday-School and other religious books, 
are also published by the Reformed Church. 

According to the statistical reports of the different 
Synods for 1876, there are connected with the General 
Synod of the Reformed Church in the United States, at 
this time, 6 Synods ; 45 Classes ; 664 ministers ; 
1,353 congregations ; 233,751 members, of which 141- 
692 are confirmed and 92,059 only baptized; and 1,169 



22 REFORMED CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES. 



Sunday-Schools, and 79,947 Sunday-School scholars. 
During the last year 9,138 persons were received into 
full communion with the Church by confirmation, more 
than one-half as many as there were communicant 
members in 1825. There was contributed within the 
last year (1876) to benevolent objects §71,987.48; and 
to local Church objects $332,173.27. 

In Europe and America together, the number of 
persons holding the same faith as the Reformed Church 
in the United States is about nine millions. From this 
it will be seen that this Church is not an insignificant 
part of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



By Rev. JOHN W. LOVE. 

{ 



WESTMOKELAND CLASSIS. 



BY BEY. JOHN W. LOVE. 



Originally the whole of Western Pennsylvania was 
missionary territory belonging to the Old Mother Synod 
of the United States. The first missionaries, .Revs. John 
William Weber, Henry Habliston, and William Winel, 
were sent out to Westmoreland County by this Synod, 
and reported to it from year to year. At an early day 
the ministers and charges located west of the eastern 
line of Bedford County formed what was called the 
Western Pennsylvania Classis, and it became a part of 
the Synod of the United States. 

In 1836 this Classis was given permission to unite 
with the Synod of Ohio and adjacent States, and the 
union with that body was consummated the following 
year. 

At a meeting of the Synod convened in 1839, at New 
Lancaster, Ohio, the name of this Classis was changed 
from Western Pennsylvania Classis to that of the East- 
ern District Synod of Ohio. The first meeting under 
this new name was held at Schellsburg, Bedford Coun- 
ty, Pa., May 4th, 1840. Of this and subsequent meet- 
ings there are full records in minute-books in the posses- 
sion of the present Stated Clerk of Classis. 

2 25 



26 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



At a meeting of the Ohio Synod, held in Canton, Ohio, 
1842, it was ordered that its Eastern District Synod be 
divided into two Classes to be known as the Westmore- 
land and Erie Classes. The former was made to in- 
clude within its bounds all the ministers and charges 
from the north-western corner of Mercer county to the 
Allegheny mountains on the east. Accordingly the first 
meeting of Westmoreland Classis proper convened, by 
appointment of Synod, at Kindigh's, or St. John's 
Church, near Mt, Pleasant, Pa., May 28th, 1843. There 
were present at this meeting six ministers and seven el- 
ders, namely : Eevs. N. P. Hacke, William Conrod, H. 
G. Ibeken, William Winel, H. E. F. Foigt, H. Knep- 
per ; and elders, John Wentzel, Henry Smith, Michael 
Ruby, Benjamin Countryman, M. Zimmerman, Peter 
Whitehead and David Stemble. There were absent : 
Eevs. H. Koch, G. Lidy, P. Zeiser, and J. Althouse. 
Rev. William Conrod was elected President ; Rev. H. 
G. Ibeken, Secretary, and Elder Peter Whitehead, Trea- 
surer. 

During the succeeding eight years nothing seems to 
have occurred out of the usual line of classical action. 
Very considerable progress, however, was made. The 
number of ministers within the bounds of Classis in- 
creased from ten to eighteen, and the congregations from 
fifty to sixty-nine. The membership of the congrega- 
tions was, of course, correspondingly increased. 

In 1850, the Ohio Synod granted the pastors and 
charges north of the Kiskiminetas river, and belonging 
to Westmoreland Classis, permission to organize a new T 
Classis to be called Clarion. Accordingly, Jan. 8th, 
1851, at a special meeting held in Greensburg, Pa., 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



27 



these pastors with their charges were dismissed. This 
reduced the number of ministers and pastoral charges 
belonging to Westmoreland Classis to eight. After- 
wards Clarion Classis divided again, forming still an- 
other Classis, named St. Paul's. These two Classes, Cla- 
rion and St. Paul's, w T ere connected with the Eastern 
Synod of the United States, while Westmoreland re- 
mained with the Ohio Synod up to the formation of the 
Pittsburgh Synod, Feb. 12th, 1870. 

During all these years this Classis was very active in 
supporting the benevolent enterprises of the Church, 
and especially in carrying forward home missionary 
w r ork. The Clarion and St. Paul's Classes are them- 
selves a fruit of this enterprise. So are all of the con- 
gregations in and about Pittsburgh. It was the old 
Westmoreland Classis that gave encouragement to the 
Grace Reformed Church Mission, now one of the best 
congregations in Western Pennsylvania, pledging $60 a 
year to the support of its pastor, and $1,000 to the pur- 
chase of its church property. Through the energy and 
efficiency of Rev. G. B. Russell, and being assisted in part 
by this Classis, the Grace Church was permanently es- 
tablished, and has become a great power for good in 
aiding other missions, and the various benevolent enter- 
prises of the Church. To Dr. Russell also belongs the 
honor of starting the Allegheny mission, and the Zion's 
congregation at East End, Pittsburgh. All these are 
important interests. 

The congregation at Wilkinsburg was begun by 
Rev. L. B. Leasure, as a mission enterprise of this 
Classis, and for a year or two liberally supported by 
it. Most of the German congregations in and about 



28 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



Pittsburgh were established under the direction of, 
and were supported in part by Westmoreland Classis. 
The same is true of the now large and flourishing con- 
gregation at Frostburg, Md., and of the missions at 
Cumberland, Md., and Scottdale, Pa., to both of which 
interests, the Classis has given thousands of dollars. 

This classis also started the Altoona Mission, (now a 
large, flourishing and self-supporting charge) through 
the earnest, self-denying, and successful efforts of Rev. 
Cyrus Cort, who has since done so much substantial 
missionary work in Iowa. 

Such was her missionary zeal and enterprise that for 
several years she employed the whole time of one of her 
ministers as missionary bishop. Rev. George H. Johns- 
ton served with marked success in this work, as did 
also Rev. P. K. Levan. And while she did not neg- 
lect to look after and supply the waste places of Zion 
within her own bounds, she lent a helping hand to the 
missionary cause of the Church at large, giving liberally 
to the support of missions in other Classes and Synods, 
especially in the west. 

Besides all this she has assisted many young men in 
preparing for the ministry — young men who to-day are 
among the most active and successful pastors anywhere 
to be found. 

Still further : This Classis ever has been and still is 
an earnest advocate of the liberal education of the 
young people of the Church. After supporting the 
schools of our Church east and west, assisting in 
endowing them, and sending to them her sons and 
daughters; and after patronizing liberally schools of 
other denominations nearer home, Classis at length felt 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



29 



strong enough to establish a College of her own at Mt. 
Pleasant, Pa., in 1861, under the presidency of Rev. 
F. K. Levan, who was assisted by an able corps of 
teachers. All through the trying time of our late civil 
war this school continued to prosper. In the spring of 
1868, for the want of some one capable and willing to 
take charge of it, it was discontinued. AVhile it was 
in operation, however, it was the means of doing much 
good by preparing some of its students for the ministry 
and fitting others for the active spheres of usefulness in 
daily life. 

The Classis now has within its bounds a Young La- 
dies' Seminary, located at Greensburg, Pa. It is under 
the control of the Pittsburgh Synod, but its main pa- 
tronage has thus far come from this Classis. Rev. Prof. 
L. Cort is its Principal, He employs five additional 
teachers who stand in the front rank of their profession. 
This school promises to confer great benefits upon the 
Classis, — as well as upon the Church and community at 
large, — by the Christian education of the young ladies 
who attend it, 

This Classis also contributed largely towards the pur- 
chase of the Orphans' Home and School at Butler, Pa,, 
and still gives her full proportion towards its support. 

In October, 1871, the Pittsburgh Synod, at its an- 
nual meeting, held in Greensburg, Pa., granted a re- 
quest from the Westmoreland Classis to divide again 
into three parts, to be known by the names of West- 
moreland, Somerset, and Allegheny Classes. This di- 
vision went into effect, June, 1872, with the first annual 
meetings of the new Classes ; and the regular meeting of 
this Classis, held at Delmont, Pa. As the President of 



30 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



the Classis before dividing belonged now to another 
body, Rev. L. B. Leasure was appointed to preside 
at its opening, and at his request Rev. W. E. Krebs 
preached the opening sermon. Rev. John I. Swander 
was then elected President ; Rev. J. F. Snyder, Stated 
Clerk, and Rev. John W. Love, Treasurer. By this 
division the number of ministers and pastoral charges, 
w r hich was eight, when the former division took place, 
in 1851, and which in twenty-one years had grown to 
twenty-two, was reduced to seven ministers and as many 
pastoral charges. It now numbers, (1877) twelve min- 
isters, and ten pastoral charges, one minister being 
without charge, and one being Principal of Greensburg 
Female Seminary. All the charges of the Classis are 
located in Westmoreland County, excepting Zions Val- 
ley, in Armstrong County. 

From this brief history it will be seen that in a period 
of thirty-three years the Westmoreland Classis, as at 
first organized with ten ministers, and as many charges, 
has grown into a Synod, numbering five Classes, fifty- 
four ministers, one hundred and twelve congregations, 
with about eighteen thousand baptized and confirmed 
members. 

There is also on the same territory a German Classis 
numbering seven ministers with their respective charges, 
which belonged formerly to this Classis but now belongs 
to a German Synod in Eastern Pennsylvania. Though 
the mother has thus sent out many of her children to other 
parts of the Church, she still retains two more than the 
original number of ministers, and the same number of 
pastoral charges. Her good work cannot be estimated. 
She is now in the very prime and vigor of life. She is 



WESTMORELAND CLASSIS. 



31 



at the head of the list, in churchly and benevolent 
enterprise among the Classes of the Pittsburgh Synod, 
and indeed, of the whole Reformed Church. Accord- 
ing to her strength of membership and ability, she is 
certainly behind none of her sister Classes in works of 
Christian faith and love. 

The venerable and highly estimated Rev. Dr. Hacke, 
one of the founders of the Classis, is still with us, serv- 
ing the oldest pastoral charge in Western Pennsylvania. 
The other ministers are mostly young men (four of them 
natives of this County) who are earnest, energetic and 
successful, as are their brethren generally of the young, 
but vigorous and growing Pittsburgh Synod. " The 
Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are 
glad." 



A BEIEF HISTOEIOAL SKETCH 

OF 

THE FIRST GREEN SBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



PBEPAEED BY 

REV. GEO. B. RUSSELL, D.D., 

FEOM OEIGINAL DOCUMENTS AND COPIOUS MATEEIAL FUENISHED 
BY THE PASTOE, THE 

Rev. NICHOLAS P. HACKE, D.D. 



FIRST 



GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



BY REV. GEO. B. RUSSELL, D. D. 



History grows, like a tree, from roots. It lives in 
the present, but draws its life out of the past, in the hid- 
den depths of which its ramifying radices lie covered; yet 
revealing for each present generation, new mysteries of 
human progress. All beginnings of life are, however, 
always hidden and crude. These must come to fuller 
organic development through stages of normal growth. 
Only when this is reached and rightly understood, it 
reveals that life, divinely clothed with matchless sym- 
metry and ideal beauty. But, in the nature of the case, 
when we first approach a particular subject of history, 
we will find its factors as yet only striving towards the 
final harmony of that life. 

The first Greensburg charge of to-day, involves with 
it more or less reference to the whole early history 
of the Reformed Church in that part of the State lying 
west of the mountains and south of the Kiskiminetas 
river. A large part of this end of our great common- 
wealth was originally included in Westmoreland county, 
as organized February 25th, 1773, with Hannastown for 
its seat of justice. And after great slices have been cut 

35 



36 FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



off, Greensburg is even yet the capital of a territory 
making, according to European estimates, a respectable 
principality. 

Reformed people from the eastern counties of this 
State, as well as from Maryland and Virginia, were 
among the early settlers of western Pennsylvania. 
Already some years before the breaking out of the Revo- 
lutionary war, industrious German pioneers were here 
making homes for their families. Thus we find, that in 
1782-3, requests from this county came to the Reverend 
Coetus for a Reformed minister to be sent them. This 
indicated that these people in their rough frontier life, 
were not unmindful of their early training, and that 
they yet religiously valued their a only comfort in life 
and in death." Answering their petition, accordingly 
the Rev. John William Weber, (his descendants are now 
called Weaver), came as missionary pastor, seeking 
these scattered sheep of the Master's fold. 

When he entered upon his work here in the begin- 
ning of June, 1783, he had four regular congregations 
to serve, besides unorganized material at other points 
which claimed his ministrations. He preached statedly 
at Harrold's and Brush creek, in Hempfield township, 
at Kintigh's, in Mt. Pleasant township, at the Ridge, in 
Unity township, Westmoreland county, and in Pitts- 
burgh, where there w r as at that time most probably no 
other stated services or organized congregation of any 
sort among the rude inhabitants dwelling in the less 
than one hundred log huts outside the fort. Five years 
before, when the German traveler Schoeph visited this 
place there was at that time no church or congregation 
of any kind outside the fort, and only some forty 



FIB ST G BEEN SB UB G PASTORAL CHARGE. 37 



miserable huts, in which lived very rough and squalid 
people. This history gives the Reformed Church 
the original pre-emption of Pittsburgh, as the first regu- 
lar church of the place. But the ground thus early 
won was afterwards sadly lost, and for many years left 
neglected. 

Of the present Greensburg charge, the Harrold's or 
St. John's congregation and that at Brush creek, are 
two of the original and oldest Reformed organizations, 
founded early in 1783, and served by the first mis- 
sionary in western Pennsylvania. Afterwards, in 1796, 
the first Reformed congregation of Greensburg was 
formed out of members belonging chiefly to the Harrold 
organization. In the year 1809 appears the first record 
of the Manor congregation. Others, such as the Ridge, 
Henke's, Hill's, Kintigh's, Youngstown, Ligonier, 
Donegal, Seanor's, Yockey's, Salem, and yet more, were 
served for longer or shorter periods, by the pastor of the 
Greensburg charge. But these, now attached elsewhere, 
will be treated of by those who have charge where they 
at present belong. 

Three pastors, only, have filled up all the historical 
period of the Greensburg charge, running from June, 
1783, to the end of our national centennial, or to the 
middle of this year of grace 1877 — almost itself a 
full century. Rev. John William Weber's pastorate 
extended from June, 1783, to July, 1816, thirty-three 
years. Rev. Henry Habliston, the next succeeding, 
three years only, to October, 1819. And then follows 
the remarkably long pastorate of the present incumbent, 
Rev. Nicholas P. Hacke, D. D., reaching from Oct. 
1819, to the present time, 1877, already nearly fifty- 



38 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



eight years. Of the present venerable pastor, it were 
due to this history, as well as to himself and his many 
friends in the churches and community generally, that 
a brief sketch be herewith recorded. But this, it is 
however proper to say, would be against his own will 
and express request; and is besides thought to be foreign 
to the plan of those who proposed this publication. 

i. harrold's, or the st. John's congregation. 

This, we find, was one of father Weber's original 
congregations in 1783. With that at Brush creek, it 
divides the honor of being the oldest in Westmoreland 
county, or in western Pennsylvania. Just when it was 
organized, for want of authentic historic records, it is 
impossible precisely to tell. Like all beginnings, its 
first life lies hidden, and is only revealed in its actual 
existence and growth. 

Land in this settlement, a few miles south-west of 
where Greensburg now stands, was taken up at an early 
date. The Detars settled on lands, formerly belonging 
to John Harrold, as early as 1760. The lands were 
then held by what Dr. Hacke says, was called " Toma- 
hawk right." In the year 1769, a large tract of land 
here came regularly into market, and was entered by a 
Mr. Long from Berks county ; who became the agent 
for persons desiring to take out land warrants from the 
proprietaries, the Penn heirs. 

Among these early settlers we find the names of such 
families as the Brinigs, Froelichs, Harrolds, Henrys, 
Eughs, Allemans, Drums, Ottermans, Marchands, Ben- 
ders (now called Painters), Kunkels, Longs, Gangweres, 
Detars, Eosensteels, Millers, Snyders, Turneys, Fritch- 



FIRST GREEN SB URG PASTORAL CHARGE. 39 



man?, Miihlisens, Klingensmiths, Myers, Steinmetz, 
Strohs, Altrnans, Thomases, &c, from which have de- 
scended many substantial citizens yet in the county, and 
others who have removed to distant parts of the United 
States. 

Balthazer Myer, a German school-master, gives us the 
first congregational record of the Harrold church. He 
records the names of children baptized, by himself, be- 
fore they had a minister, together with their age and the 
names of parents and sponsors. Here is the first in the 
list: 

Peter, born 11th Sept., 1771 : Baptized 
Aug. 2d, 1772. Parents, Anthony Walter 
and Elizabeth. Sponsors, Fred'k Reiss 
and Susanna Elizabeth Alt man. 

The last child he baptized was: Susanna, born 30th 
May, 1782 ; Baptized 4th June, 1782, Parents, John 
Rudolph and Christina. Then follows a list of 
children baptized in Zion church by Rev. Ministers; 
not stating however who the ministers were. Of these, 
the first child was: John Adam, born 27th Nov. 1784; 
baptized 25th Dec. 1784. Parents, Adam Myer and 
Elizabeth. Sponsors, Peter Eiseman and Anna Barbara. 
This record is kept in the same hand- writing, until 20th 
May, 1793. 

Rev. John William Weber's record here shows, that 
he came to this charge early in June, 1783. The first 
child he baptized was: Daniel, born on the 19th of 
Nov., 1782 ; baptized on the 8th of June, 1783. Pa- 
rents, John Harrold and Barbara; sponsors, William 
Altman and Barbara. There is no recorded list of Re- 



40 



FIB ST GREEK SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



formed communicants at this time. On the Lutheran 
side there is also no such list during the ministry of 
Rev. Anthony Ulrich Lutje. But the first record of 
the kind is by the Rev. John Michael Steck, in Octo- 
ber, 1791, at which time there were eighty communi- 
cants. The following year he confirmed forty-three 
persons, and there were, together with these, one hun- 
dred and sixty-eight communicants. 

In the year 1785 a warrant was taken out by Michael 
Rugh and Anthony Altman, for one hundred and fifty- 
eight acres of land, for church and school purposes. 
This was recorded in 1789, and the patent was issued 
that same year. We note the fact that these people 
thus early provided for schools as well as churches; 
which fact is a sufficient answer to those who ignorantly 
charge that these German fathers were opposed to edu- 
cation. 

Before regular ministers came to this section, the 
German school- masters ; who might be called also lay 
evangelists, like Balthazer Myer, led the religious ser- 
vices of the people; reading sermons, and conducting 
the worship on Sundays, and teaching in the school 
during the week. Here the Bible was read, the Cate- 
chism was taught, and general religious instruction was 
given, to foster the spirit of Christian piety and train 
the people in the Church. These teachers were even 
constrained, as we have seen in the case above given, if 
there were no minister, to administer infant baptism 
when it was thought necessary. This was probably 
more the case with Lutherans than with the Reformed, 
who seldom or never permitted lay baptism. Among 
these lay teachers we find the names of Michael Zunsel, 
George Bushjager, and Charles Sheibler. 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 41 



One hundred and eight acres of the above-mentioned 
church land were sold in 1793 to Rev. A. U. Lutje, 
who was the Lutheran minister here before the Rev. J. 
M. Steck took charge of that interest in 1791. The 
sum realized from the sale was sixty pounds sterling, 
which after meeting the expenses of sale, was to be 
jointly used by the Lutheran and Reformed congrega- 
tions. The remaining fifty acres, with church and school- 
house, by agreement mutually signed Sept. 24th, 1791, 
between the two denominations, was to remain from 
that day, forever, the joint property of both the Luthe- 
ran and Reformed organizations, to be used for church 
and school purposes till the "end of the world." 

This property, we infer, was intended from the first, to 
be for the joint use of the two churches named; but the 
patent was issued it seems to Michael Rugh and Anthony 
Altman, in favor of the Lutherans only. To satisfy the 
Reformed party, however, there seem to have been some 
bonds given in their favor to cover their rightful claim. 

These bonds, held by the Reformed at the time of the 
above agreement, required the Lutherans to give secu- 
rity for the fulfillment of the agreement's conditions 
until the title, vesting each with equal rights was made. 
The elders of both congregations were to examine every 
year the state of the common funds in the hands of the 
managers, and pass upon the receipts and bills for ex- 
penses. The first bill was for 6<£. 6s. 6d. Balance on 
hand 53£. 12s. 6d. They have nearly always had nice 
balances in the common treasury. 

Each congregation in this union was free to choose 
its own pastor and officers, and change them when 
found necessary — without interference from the other 



42 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 

side. This is much better, than where, as in some such 
unions, both parties voted in or out each other's officers 
and minister. Here, no single member of either con- 
gregation shall have the right to introduce a strange 
minister without the consent of the elders of the Church 
to which he belongs. The minister of either side has 
power to baptize all such children as may be presented, 
without distinction of religion — except only when the 
elders object. The elders of both congregations must 
unite in the choosing of a school-master ; who also shall 
instruct the children in such Catechism and system of 
religious doctrine as he shall be requested to do by those 
families w T ho send their children, whether it be Luthe- 
ran or Reformed. 

Under the bonds and agreement before mentioned, 
the property was held from November 29th, 1793, till 
after Rev. Dr. Hacke became pastor, when on the 28th 
of November, 1819, the deed was finally executed, for 
the undivided half, by Jacob Haines and Jacob Miller, 
to Barnet Thomas and Peter Baum, Trustees for the 
Reformed congregation. The bond as originally given 
was by Valentine Steiner, William Altman, Anthony 
Altman, and Jacob Seanor, for three hundred pounds 
sterling, to Jacob Painter and Nicholas Alleman, in 
trust for the German Reformed Church. 

The first building erected on these church lands was 
a log school-house; to which was afterwards added a 
dwelling-house connected therewith by a covered hall. 
In this school-house the people would meet on Sundays 
and festival days for divine worship ; and when there 
was no minister present, the resident school-master, as a 
sort of unordained evangelist, would teach a gospel 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 43 



school. Even after the log church was built, owing to 
the want of stoves or heaters in it, the public divine 
services of the Sundays during the cold winter weather, 
would be held in the school-house. Here, too, the 
catechetical class met, whenever the young people were 
to be prepared, by a course of Christian instruction from 
the pastor, for confirmation. 

No definite date can be given for the building of the 
first house of worship. Rather extensive repairs seem 
to have been made already in 1794, which implies an 
old house at that^tirne. Mr. George Eiseman mentions 
to Dr. Hacke, that according to tradition, a log church 
was begun and raised to the height of the first story ; 
but that, owing to Indian troubles, or possibly a neigh- 
borhood dispute, it was left standing in that unfinished 
condition for years. Before any thing was done again 
towards resuming the work upon it, looking to its com- 
pletion, the sprouts and underbrush had grown up in- 
side the structure, so that the ground had to be cleared 
off a second time. 

Somehow it came to be thought that the people were 
then too poor to finish the edifice ; and, in order to secure 
the necessary funds, it was finally resolved to sell the 
one hundred and eight acres of the church land, to 
which reference has already been made. This sale was 
effected accordingly, in 1793, to the Rev. Anthony Ul- 
rich Lutje, and a deed was made to him for that portion 
of the farm. 

The church-building erected was rather spacious, but 
it had only one door. The floor was made of puncheons. 
The seats were of hewn logs. There was a gallery open 
in front, on the right hand side. It had rough seats, 



44 FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



to winch a rude stairway led. At first, there was only 
a plain table serving for an altar; but the present pas- 
tor remembers an altar there during all his time of 
ministerial service. The original pulpit, after the wine- 
glass pattern, is now in the Miihlisen church. It was, 
says the pastor, "a shaky affair, that creaked and 
rocked and swayed a good deal as you mounted its lofty 
height. It was surmounted with a small sounding 
board, painted in blue color, with a canopy showing 
the sun, moon and stars, in white. The window glass of 
the church were often broken, and the windows left un- 
repaired ; so that the squirrels and birds had free access 
to the inside of the house of worship. And they were 
frequently seen sporting about and diverting themselves 
as well as the younger part of the audience, during the 
hours of regular service." In the course of time, a new 
and larger school- house was built. In this, as it was 
more comfortable than the old church, in severe winter 
weather, the congregation held their worship. 

In the year 1828 George Eiseman moved into the 
school-house, and in 1829 he built on lease, a tenant 
house, and still later, 1850, the barn was erected. 

On the 28th of May, 1829, the corner-stone of the 
present stone-church edifice was laid with appropriate 
ceremonies. The two congregations, that is, both the 
Lutheran and Reformed, having seen the necessity of 
providing a more suitable house of worship than was 
the old log structure, entered with becoming zeal upon 
the projected undertaking. A great portion of the work, 
such as hauling stone and lumber, was done by the mem- 
bers themselves. Bernard Thomas and Jacob Haines 
were the building committee. The house was finished 



FIRST G BEEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 45 



and dedicated in 1830. Eevs. Fathers Yoigt and Switzer- 
bart were present with the Lutheran and Reformed 
pastors on that occasion. The building was repaired, 
painted and papered in 1855. 

Doubtless the oldest grave-yard in Westmoreland 
county, is the one attached to this church. In the year 
1867 this burying-ground was enlarged, and the new 
portion regularly laid out in lots. A substantial fence 
incloses this sacred place, and proper attention is given 
to the keeping of the whole inclosure in good order. 
This is the pious tribute from the living to the memory 
of the dead, who now rest from their labors. 

Not many ministers labored here during the century 
now closing. On the Lutheran side were Rev. 
Anthony Ulrich Lutje, Rev. John Michael Steck 
1791-1830. Rev. Michael Steck, 1831-1848. Rev. 
Jonas Mechling, 1848—1868. Rev. A. J. Brugle af- 
terwards ; and Rev. Enoch Smith at present pastor. 

Of the Reformed pastors there have been but three. 
First was the Rev. John William Weber; who, before 
his settlement in this charge was serving Reformed 
congregations in Northampton' county, Pa. He came 
here in June, 1783. Mr. Fiskeys was sent by the con- 
gregation of the charge to move him from the East. On 
his arrival here, he had to find a home first in a log cabin 
on Garret Thomas' farm, till he secured a more suitable 
place. He then purchased a farm for himself on the 
Sewickly, now the property of Col. Israel Painter. 
There he resided till his death, which occurred in July, 
1816. He served, amid great hardship and many dan- 
gers, the congregations of this charge for thirty-three 
years ; a long period, whose record is laid up in heaven. 



46 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



His remains were interred in the Miihlisen grave-yard, 
and their particular resting place left unmarked for 
fifty years ; but a suitable monument to his memory 
was erected, at a cost of $450, in 1874, by a committee 
of the Westmoreland Classis, consisting of Rev. J. W. 
Love ; and Rev. N. P. Hacke, D. D., and Elder John 
Truxel. Two hundred dollars of the cost was paid by 
the trustees of the church property there, and the balance 
raised from the friends and relatives of the deceased. 

Father Weber laid the foundations of the Reformed 
Church in Pittsburgh, and in Westmoreland, and ad- 
joining counties. He was instrumental in procuring for 
the exclusive use of the Reformed Church, the land at 
Milliron's, consisting of about seventy-five acres, the 
income from which is to be forever used for church and 
school purposes. His natural descendants in the third 
and fourth generation are still to be found, some of whom 
are faithful to the church of their fathers ; but others 
have been gathered into other folds. 

Rev. Henry Habliston, of Baltimore, next served 
these congregations for a short period, running from the 
spring of 1816 to the summer of 1819. During his 
pastorate, new life was infused into the several congre- 
gations. Many young people were confirmed, and large 
additions were made to the membership of the Church. 
It does not appear what was the immediate cause of his 
resignation. But he left for the West, after a brief 
though successful ministry in this charge. 

October, 1819, brought to this charge the present 
pastor, the now venerable Rev. Nicholas P Hacke,D.D., 
who had just then turned his nineteenth birth-day, 
His labors have continued without interruption, and 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 47 



with large measure of success for well nigh three-score 
years. Of his particular service here, as well as in the 
whole charge, due mention should be made more at 
large elsewhere. 

The church membership at Harrold's has been kept 
comparatively small, owing to the formation of other 
congregations out of the material once belonging here. 
This was the case at Greensburg, at Muhlisen's, and at 
Seanor's. For some years, the candidates for confirma- 
tion from this vicinity were necessitated to attend in- 
structions at Greensburg, or Brush-creek. The first 
class, consisting of twelve members, was confirmed here 
by the present pastor, in 1833. The number of com- 
municant members in 1821 was only thirty-seven. The 
whole membership in 1876 is recorded at one hundred 
and six. Corresponding figures of the Lutheran mem- 
bership show the same slow growth, or even at times, 
diminishing numbers. In 1796, for instance, it was 
one hundred and forty-nine; 1799, it was only forty- 
two. 

Since the first confirmation in this church, the condi- 
tion of the congregation has been on an average pros- 
perous, and its growth, if slow, is yet steady. The 
pastor bears testimony to the fact that the people of this 
church have always been found adhering faithfully and 
close to the old land-marks. They honor their fathers 
in language and customs ; and keep in Christian 
observance the festivals of the Church Year. Peace 
and unity reign among the members. The min- 
isters are respected for their work's sake. In Chris- 
tian liberality, the people are not surpassed by 
others in similar circumstances. The Sunday-school is 



48 FIRST GREENSBTJRG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



in a flourishing condition ; and the good singing of the 
choir aids very largely in the public services. In fine, 
the record of this church, at the close of our first na- 
tional centennial, gives us hope for its continued growth 
and usefulness, with the assured promise of the Holy 
Spirit's presence and blessing, in the right use of the 
means of grace. 

II. THE BRUSH CHEEK CONGREGATION. 

One of the two oldest Reformed congregations in 
Westmoreland county, is that of Brush. creek, in Hemp- 
field township. It is difficult to fix the precise date of 
its beginning. Perhaps it grew into being, without 
what is now called an act of organization. 

At an early date, in the primitive settlement of this 
county, members of the two German Churches were 
accustomed to meet in assemblies at Loutzenheiser's 
and Davis', where they held religious services and 
offered divine worship. These services were at first 
conducted without a minister ; and consisted in singing 
from their German hymn-books, reading the Bible, and 
offering prayers from their German prayer-books, and 
hearing sermons read by the school-master from their 
sermon-books. Finally, in 1783, they succeeded in 
getting a minister, the Rev. J. W. Weber, who nur- 
tured them in the Christian faith and life, in the use 
of the divinely appointed means of grace, preaching the 
word, and sealing its promises and quickening power 
with the holy sacraments. 

Elder Henry Kifer, the oldest living patriarch of the 
Reformed congregation here, informed Rev. Dr. Hacke, 
that Dr. David Marchand, a native of Switzerland, ad- 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 49 



vised the early settlers at Brash-creek in Hempfield 
township, to take up a certain parcel of unseated land, 
comprising one hundred and eighty-two acres, for 
church and school purposes. This was a portion of a 
tract of three hundred and forty-seven acres, of which 
Dr. Marchand had for himself entered one hundred 
and sixty-five acres, now Mrs. Walthour's farm. A 
patent was accordingly taken out for the above land in 
Dr. Marchand's name, bearing date November 14th, 
1792; he having advanced the money meanwhile, in 
order to secure this property for the two German 
churches. A deed for the same to the two congrega- 
tions from Dr. Marchand, for 2&£. 12s. 6d. ? in conside- 
ration for money advanced, conveyed the property, the 
20th of July, 1797. 

The first building erected on the lands, was a log 
school-house ; which was also used by the people at first 
as a house of worship. This building was afterwards 
burned, while the people of the neighborhood were ab- 
sent, having temporarily left their homes on account of 
the troubles growing out of Indian hostilities. Subse- 
quently the first church was built. It was a structure 
of hewn logs, with only one door, and that at the gable 
end. The floor was of puncheons; the seats hewn logs; 
there was no pulpit; no gallery; and a common table 
served for an altar. In the spring of 1819, when the 
present pastor visited this charge he preached his first 
sermon here, in that old church. It stood in what is 
now the present grave-yard inclosure. 

In the year 1815 already, the congregations had re- 
solved to build a brick church; this is the one which 
now stands. On the 17th of August, 1816, the corner- 



50 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



stone was laid. The building was, however, left for 
some years unfinished, and was not fully completed till 
1820; when it was dedicated by the Lutheran and Re- 
formed pastors, assisted by the Rev. Henry Gerhart of 
Bedford, who preached the sermon on that occasion. 
Subscriptions towards defraying the expenses having 
fallen far short of the amount needed, John Shrum and 
Adam Baughman, Trustees, were authorized by an act 
of the Legislature, to sell eighty-two acres of the church 
land, and appropriate the proceeds towards the payment 
of the church debt. It w T as sold in several parcels, at 
from fifteen to nineteen dollars per acre. 

The church lost some $500 also, by getting into a 
lawsuit with the contractor for the brick-work. The 
carpenter work w T as done by Mr. Jacob Dry, whose 
name occurs in the same connection with the erection of 
other church buildings in this charge. For years, the 
services during winter had been held in the school- 
house, because the church was then not yet provided 
with stoves. 

On the 27th of April, 1864, an act of Assembly was 
passed, authorizing the sale of forty-one acres of the 
coal underlying the church land. The proceeds of this 
sale amounted to $5,330. The present commodious 
dwelling-house was built by Peter Whitehead and 
Michael Baughman, trustees. The church was inclosed 
by a good fence and the grave-yard enlarged, ornamental 
shade trees were planted, and other serviceable improve- 
ments were made. A new pulpit w T ith altar space 
and platform was erected for the church. Some years 
after, a new roof was put on, new seats and new 
windows were made, and other needed improvements. 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 51 



In 1870, a pipe organ, costing $900, was put into the 
church. 

Rev. John William Weber, first pastor of the charge, 
served this congregation faithfully with much fruitful- 
ness, during his ministry here for thirty-three years. 
His pastorate extended from June, 1783, to July, 1816. 
During the early part of his labors at this point, it was 
necessary for each man to carry his trusty rifle along to 
the church, in order to protect the people from the 
sudden surprises and savage attacks of the hostile In- 
dians. A rifle company to which Adam Saams belonged, 
kept itself in readiness, at an hour's notice, to march to 
the relief and protection of the settlers from the stealthy 
foe. And it w T as his pleasure to tell, that his men could 
not only outrun the wild warriors of the forest, but 
could, man for man, outfight them too, by superior 
skill, daring and prowess. The savages were van- 
quished by civilization, and the land was gained for the 
triumphs of modern history. 

Catechization by the pastor was in those early times 
generally held in private houses. The young people 
usually came great distances to attend upon these classes 
for religious instruction in the doctrines and duties of 
our holy religion. From the Kiskiminetas river, from the 
Alleman settlement in Butler county, and from Pukety 
run, they would gather at the Brush-creek settlement to 
be taught the gospel way of salvation. Many would 
stay during the winter's course of instruction with their 
friends, or hospitable Reformed families till after they 
were confirmed in the faith of the fathers, as the truth 
is in Jesus. 

It happened once, as we learn, that during the week 



52 FIRST GRENSBURQ PASTORAL CHARGE. 



before Easter, when the catechumens had assembled here 
in the old church with their venerable pastor, father 
Weber, for their two sessions a day, the place was unusu- 
ally cold. The shepherd was equal to the necessities of 
the occasion. He directed the shivering boys and young 
men to build a brush-heap near the church, and then 
fire it during the intermission between the forenoon and 
afternoon sessions of the class. Around the blazing 
heat of this burning brush-pile, then the boys and girls 
gathered and warmed themselves till, at the call of the 
old minister, they piously returned to the cold building 
to resume the afternoon services of the class. 

Bonnets were not then worn by the young women 
who attended these classes, nor at church. A cleau 
'kerchief neatly put on was the female head gear then. 
And, if perchance aged mothers or some matronly dames 
of prime years, could cover their heads with a wool or 
beaver hat, they thought themselves dressed in most 
fashionable style. Bat if some of these would possibly 
wear their hats to the church, they would invariably 
lay them aside on going to the communion, and would 
wear only their neat white caps, when they reverently 
received the sacramental emblems, Mr. Henry Kifer 
is now, we believe, the only surviving catechumen who 
here received instruction and confirmation from father 
Weber. This must have been more than sixty years 
ago; since the old pastor ceased his labors in 1816. 

Rev. Henry Habliston, as in the other parts of the 
charge, so here also, served this congregation from 1816 
to 1819. His labors were blest, and the Church grew 
and increased in piety and good works. 

Early in the spring of 1819 the present pastor, Rev. 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 53 



Nicholas P. Hacke, D.D., then quite a youth, visited this 
place on invitation ; and he took pastoral charge in Oc- 
tober of the same year. His first communion here was 
held in January, 1820. In 1822 the number baptized 
in this church was sixteen, and eighteen were confirmed. 
The services were then held during summer every four 
weeks on Sundays ; and in winter, for some considerable 
time, on Saturdays and Sundays. This being the 
only Reformed church in the neighborhood, and as there 
was for a time no other Reformed minister in the county, 
these services were well attended. 

Large emigrations in the last half century have taken 
place from this neighborhood and the vicinity of Adams- 
burg, to Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa, carrying off some of 
its most substantial families. By this cause alone, the 
Church here has lost many excellent members and pro- 
mising young material ; as the Corts, Kemerers, Wolffs, 
Van Dykes, Buchmans, and others. But the local loss 
at this place has been substantial gain to the Church 
elsewhere. In Iowa a whole pastoral charge of four 
congregations comes largely from this place. Where- 
ver the members have settled, we hear good reports of 
their Church life, growing out of the solid system of 
Christian nurture in which they had been so carefully 
trained. 

Neighboring organizations, as at Adamsburg and Ir- 
win, have also drained away good members from this 
church. No other congregation in the Greensburg 
charge has sustained such severe losses in the way now 
mentioned. To this fact is unquestionably due, the 
seemingly slow growth in numbers. But the work 
done here, if it does not appear in an increased list, is 



54 



FIRST GREEXSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



still made available elsewhere in the kingdom of Christ. 
And it is indeed a joy to know, that in other parts of 
the Church, those who were catechized and confirmed 
in the Reformed faith here, still honor their Christian 
profession, and make the name of old Westmoreland a 
talisman to be cherished in filial memory. 

Meeting and subduing prejudices well settled and 
deep-rooted in a conservative people, is one of the most 
difficult things in the pastoral work. A German min- 
ister in primitive American settlements finds a host of 
such troubles to overcome. J ust because the people are 
so steady, firm and substantial, holding in honor what 
they inherit from their pious ancestry in customs and 
usages, is one chief reason that they are hard to turn 
from the old conservative life into the progressive ways 
of onward moving history. Hence, no one who has not 
well tried it, can form an accurate idea of what it costs 
a prudent pastor, when, in the necessary course of 
things, he must carry his people through such a great 
transition as that from German to English, How to 
reconcile the people to the great duty of preserving the 
spirit and life of the fathers, while seeming to turn 
away from their language and old peculiar habits of 
worship — that is hard. 

This Brush-creek region was very much a German 
settlement, before the great Pennsylvania rail-road and 
other modern innovations tore up the old order of life. 
The people were greatly attached to the language and 
worship of their fathers. But now commerce, trade, 
influx of new neighbors with new habits, common 
schools entirely English, books and newspapers, and 
manifold other modern influences are all at work 



FIRST GREENSRURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 55 



steadily and rapidly changing the old customs and lan- 
guage. The irresistible tide of history has set in. The 
young people, the hope of the Church, are the first to 
feel these effects most powerfully ; and they have not 
been always the most prudent in stating the absolute 
necessity for the consequent change in the services of 
the Church. The old people were naturally enough 
jealous of their honored patrimony ; and they feared, 
that in allowing English preaching, they would lose all 
that they so dearly cherished in favor of the German. 
And it is a matter of history, that their fears were not 
always groundless. But it is just as true, that the old 
may have been held on to, too long, without providing 
for any needed change for the common good. It is now 
well known, that if we do not allow the hiving of the 
English-grown portion of the swarm at home, in our 
churches; thus retaining the German faith and customs, 
the German spirit and life in an English worship, other 
denominations will, as in many cases they do, absorb 
one by one our young people and new families, thereby 
draining us of our strength and turning our best mate- 
rial into other Churches, where they must give up all 
of faith, life, usages and history, that they inherit from 
their fathers, without conserving anything peculiar to 
the creed and customs of the Reformed Church. 

Meeting this necessity, Rev. Dr. Hacke has prudently 
solved the problem in part and made changes in lan- 
guage where and when allowable ; though in this, too, 
he had to sufiPer for acting up to his sense of duty. 
Both sides, as in other respects, have in this also found 
fault. Some of those in favor of English, think he has 
not moved fast enough ; while some of the Germans 



53 



FIB ST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



believe he has given way too much. It has been said : 
u Yaw der Hacke will auch Irish werden," But Ger- 
man parents now generally acknowledge the need of 
English services for their children, who can not at all 
either read or speak the German. The change, only half- 
way made as yet, nevertheless doubles the already hard 
duties of the pastor, making the use of both languages 
necessary in his public ministrations. 

Transition from German to English has also in other 
respects, its drawbacks. It loses the grand old choral 
singing in the public worship ; and this makes room 
for all sorts of new notions and styles not always in the 
best harmony with the old service. The German 
schools have passed away ; and there is now no help for 
it in pastor or people, the English will work in, — or the 
singing part of the public worship must die out finally. 
No one can have more love than the present pastor for 
the pious old German hymns and the devotional choral 
singing. But circumstances over-ride all this, and the 
best plan now is, to set about saving as much of the old 
life, old customs, old festivals, and especially the old 
faith as may be carried safely through this tide of inevi- 
table transition ultimately from German to English. 

Sunday-schools have had a varied history of vigorous 
growth and success, then waning into temporary sus- 
pension, until again resuscitated. So many other Sun- 
day-schools having been started near around this place, 
as in Adamsburg, Irwin, Manor station, Pennstadt and 
Grapeville, have drained off many from this Church 
who formerly came here. This fact keeps not only the 
teacher of those schools, but the children and even pa- 
rents from coming; to the regular services in this house 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 57 



of God. The Sunday-school of this congregation is 
now in a flourishing condition, and has promise of fu- 
ture growth and prosperity. 

For Christian beneficence, the Brush-creek congrega- 
tion has paid regularly into the treasury of the Classis, 
their full apportionment ; which amounted the last year 
to $115. Besides this, liberal gifts were made recently 
to the new Reformed church at Scottdale. The pastor's 
stipend has been increased one-third during the last two 
years. At the last communion, the number of members 
present was one hundred and fifty, and many others 
were absent. 

Church records, on the Reformed side, were not 
regularly kept before the present pastor took charge ; 
though those of the Lutherans run back to 1792. It 
is a duty to themselves and to the Church of the future, 
to have these records completed as far as may be, and 
w r ell kept. The joint constitution of the two congrega- 
tions who hold this property, was adopted when the 
corner-stone was laid. This is recorded in George 
Keek's record-book, given in 1806, for the purpose 
of keeping the church registry. At that meeting John 
Shrum was president, and Jacob Eiseman was secretary. 
The transcribing of the documents was by George 
Burger. 

Strong piety and zeal for the Church was manifested 
in the acts of the first settlers who here laid the founda- 
tions for what their children now have to honor, cherish, 
and enjoy. Let us thank God, that He, by His provi- 
dence and grace has thus favored His people. The 
difficulties that the pioneer fathers had to surmount, 
the hard sacrifices they made, and the constancy with 

3* 



58 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



which they elung to the faith and historical life of the 
Reformation should be kept in cherished memory. 
And while their children should be likewise faithful 
and devout, they may at least excuse or extenuate what 
to some may now seem as narrow prejudices, or mistakes 
of judgment. Their Christian character is honorable 
in them, and should be equally exemplified in the lives 
of their offspring. To regard thus our Christian ances- 
try is pious and praiseworthy in the sight of God, whose 
commandment has a promise of long life in the land, to 
those who honor their parentage. This people have an 
honored and noble heritage from the Marchands, Ivem- 
erers, Kifers, Shrums, Whiteheads, Saams, Byerlys, 
Klingensmiths, Eisemans, Clines, Walthours, Baugh- 
mans, Detmars, AVageles, Smiths, Myers, Grosses, Corts. 

Abraham and Lot kept their two interests together in 
union till the Lord blessed them with such increase that 
it became necessary for a peaceable separation. From 
which, these union Churches may learn historical lessons; 
only let each be careful not to settle in Sodom, lest they 
barely escape alive. 

^Yhere two different denominations hold union church 
property, like two families living in the same house ; 
and where different ministers attend to the spiritual 
wants of their own people, it is particularly necessary 
that a mutual good understanding should prevail. 
Everything that disturbs unity should be carefully 
avoided. Each member, and each minister as well 
should sedulously respect the rights and feelings of the 
other party. They should at all times exercise mutual 
forbearance towards each other ■ and above all, never 
forget that they are all members of the one body whose 
Head is Christ. 



FIRST GREEN SB URG PASTORAL CHARGE. 59 



III. FIRST REFORMED CONGREGATION, GREENS- 
BURG, PA. 

We find among the honored list of early German 
settlers in and around Greensburg, such names as Tur- 
ney, Barnhart, Mechling, Haines, Buerger, Klingen- 
smith, Hugh, Uric ; Stroh, Drum, Truby, Miller, 
Rohrer, Williams, Altman, Huffnagle, Ehrenfreidt, 
Alshaus, Huber, Kemp, Eeamer, Keppel, Alwine 
Kiehl, Smith, Meyer, Silvis, etc. These constitute no 
inconsiderable part of the hardy and substantial people 
who gave character to this part of Westmoreland. 

Before there were any churches in Greensburg, or be- 
fore the town itself was built, these Germans worshiped 
God statedly three miles south-west of this place at the 
old Harrold church. But when a number of these 
people had found homes and built for themselves 
houses in the new town, a place for holding divine 
worship was also needed for them and their children, in 
Greensburg. This being determined upon, a piece of 
ground, containing one town lot and a half, situate on 
the main street, at the southerly part of the town, was 
purchased from Michael Truby, Esq , and Peter Miller, 
as a site on which to build a church, held in union be- 
tween the Lutherans and Reformed. The considera- 
tion paid was about four pounds sterling. Also a parcel 
of ground farther down the main street, was bought 
from the same parties for a like consideration of four 
pounds sterling, for a grave-yard. 

Where now stands the first Reformed parsonage was 
the original lot, on which a large building of hewn logs 



60 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



was erected as a union church for the two German de- 
nominations. 

On the 22d of April, 1796, we find, the first com- 
munion was held in this house by the Reformed pastor, 
Rev. John William Weber. The following were the 
members partaking of the holy sacrament ; and as their 
names are no doubt written on high in the Lamb's 
book of life, we also take pleasure in giving them here : 
Simon Drum, John Turney, Jacob Barnhart, Jacob 
Buergy, William Barnhart, Daniel Turney, Michael 
Truby, Peter Barnhart, and Daniel Turney, single. 
Susanna Drum, Anna Barnhart, Magdalena Huber, 
Catharine Mechling, Maria Myers, Anna Maria Walter, 
Catharine Silvis ; single, Susanna Turney, Elizabeth 
Sourer and Elizabeth Barnhart. 

Sacred memories still cluster around that solemn 
occasion. From it, unto children's children, runs the 
golden thread of covenant mercy, and thence we plainly 
trace it extending unto thousands of them that know 
the God of their fathers and keep His commandments 
to do them. Many such days indeed belong to the his- 
tory of the old church. Through its door, at the gable- 
end, the devout worshipers used to enter, and then 
within devoutly sit before the Lord on its rude benches, 
or sing His praises from the open-front gallery, and 
hear the word read and expounded from the altar. There 
were here, as in the other churches of that time, no 
stoves nor heaters — not even chimneys nor flues. Not 
even a pulpit was there as yet ; but an altar was pro- 
vided where the worship was offered to the God of our 
fathers. In the cold weather of the winter season, the 
services were usually held either in private dwellings 
or in the old court-house. 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 61 



Another lot and a half adjoining that on which the 
first church stood, was bought on the 15th of May, 1815, 
from Mr. Ehrenfreidt for $300. On this parcel of 
ground the present brick church was built. The corner- 
stone was laid in the year 1815, by the Rev. Pastors 
Steck and Weber. But the scarcity of bricks prevented 
the walls from being raised above the first windows. 
Thus the work stood for a while, and then dragged 
slowly along, hindered by the hard times and various 
obstacles ; so that the building was not completed until 
the summer of the year 1819. The Rev. Henry Ger- 
hart, Reformed minister from Bedford, Pa., preached 
the dedication sermon. The building committee were : 
Henry Welty and Simon Drum, on the Reformed side, 
and Andrew Crissinger and Jacob Turney, Lutherans. 
The building may have cost in those times of high 
prices some five or six thousand dollars. This was 
considered quite a large sum then to be spent in church 
erection, especially as a crushing monetary crisis had set 
in soon after the inflation caused by the English war. 
Lands were sold at great sacrifice. Farm products 
found no ready purchasers. Banks, established without 
solid capital, failed ; and the impoverished stock-holders 
and the defrauded note-holders lost their hard earnings. 
The notes of the so-called Greensburg bank became en- 
tirely worthless. Under these circumstances a heavy 
debt rested upon the building. 

To relieve the congregations from the pressure of this 
burden, it was resolved to sell the corner lot, on which 
the old log church stood. This sale finally took place 
in the year 1822, and that lot with the building thereon, 
offered at public outcry, was bought for a parsonage 



62 FIRST G BEEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



property by the five Reformed congregations composing 
the Green sburg charge. The price paid was $461. 
Elsewhere, we will give a brief account of this parson- 
age enterprise. 

The church, however, still remained in debt till the 
year 1830, as can be seen by receipts for money then 
paid ; but whether the whole amount was at that late 
date finally extinguished does not appear. 

Repairs to the brick church were made from time to 
time. In 1857 the ceiling was renewed, a new pulpit 
and altar railing were put up, the house was repainted, 
carpets and mats were laid down ; and in 1873 a new 
roof and cornice were put on the church and the steeple 
was repainted. Through the liberality of Mr. Samuel 
B. Haines the church grounds were neatly enclosed ; 
the present iron fence was put up in 1861. 

In the year 1845, the pipe organ was built by Stark 
and Minehart, at a cost of $800. It was quite an 
event in those days for any Protestant church of these 
parts to introduce an organ. Some opposition was at 
first made to the project, even among the members of 
the Reformed and Lutheran churches. They were 
surrounded by influences entirely hostile to such use of 
instruments, which, it was charged, worshiped God by 
machinery. In a Presbyterian church, where a bass 
viol had been smuggled or foisted into the choir, the 
old dominie startled the worshipers by calling upon 
them to "feddle and seng" the psalm. Our people had 
to be reminded that David used instruments in render- 
ing praise to God who is a spirit requiring a true spirit- 
ual worship ; and Solomon introduced these instruments 
into the temple service ; and that in Germany and East 



FIB ST GBEENSBUBG PASTORAL CHARGE. 63 



Pennsylvania the organ is almost universally used in 
the churches. Some of the members, like the late Jacob 
Buerger, the Plancks, and others helped to silence the 
opposition and overcome and subdue the prejudices 
against it. So that although still by some derided and 
scouted as the 4 'old Dutch organ," it was finally ac- 
cepted by the majority ; and it has proved itself a power 
for good in the services. 

At the dedication of the organ, the Rev. Wm. Weinel 
and the Rev. Mr. Witershausen preached sermons. In 
the evening of the same day, a fine concert was given 
by ladies and gentlemen from Pittsburgh, under the di- 
rection of Mr. Henry Kleber, who presided at the organ. 
The house was filled with a large and delighted audi- 
ence. It was not far different from what is now in 
some churches popularly called " praise meetings," or 
by some, rendering 66 the Gospel in song." Mr. John 
Springer was, for twenty years, the organist and German 
school-master. Since 1866, Mr. Joseph Huber has been 
his successor in playing the organ and in training the 
choir. 

Germans of this place, at an early day, owned in 
Greensburg a lot, on which a school-house was built. 
Here, an old revolutionary soldier, the father of Fre- 
derick Scheibler, kept a German school. By some com- 
mon neglect, the school after some years died out ; and 
then being neglected for a long while, this property 
itself was lost. For years, therefore, there seemed to 
be no means for sustaining a German school in this 
town. Then, the parents complained that their children 
were left without any German training. The complaint 
at present is, however, rather on the other side. There 



64 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



is now a German school. It is to be lamented that 
parents do not embrace the opportunity already for 
years afforded, of sending their children to this school, 
where they may acquire some practical elementary 
knowledge of the rich and useful German tongue. 
Long years ago, John Springer, the organist, re-opened 
the German parochial school. Since then, a fund has 
been set apart to aid in the support of that interest ; 
and if it were properly sustained by the families, it 
might be made of great service to the young people of 
the Church. 

Jacob Buerger, one of the original members of the 
Greensburg Church, after having made suitable bequests 
to his near relatives and friends, at the peaceful close of 
an earnest life, had the grace of charity vouchsafed him 
to appropriate the residue of his unused money, as a 
permanent fund, " to the Church.'' One-half of the 
interest of this fund is to be used for church purposes, 
and the other half is to go towards the support of a 
German school. The amount so designated in the will 
was found to be $4,560. This trust of the pious donor 
has been faithfully administered ; first by John Kuhns 
and Simon Drum, trustees ; and then principally by 
Jacob Kiehl for twenty-one years — without incurring 
the loss of one cent, either of principal or interest. 
The present trustees are Josiah Mechling and Samuel 
Truxal. This fund's interest, besides helping the con- 
gregation in its joint expenditures, annually aids in 
keeping alive the German day-school. Long may it 
work for good, keeping green the memory of Jacob 
Buerger, who, though he now rests from his labors, yet 
leaves works of faith to follow him. 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 65 



In the course of time, the original parcel of ground 
bought for a burying-place, became too small for grave- 
yard purposes ; and so, nearly two acres more were 
added by purchase from the heirs of the late John 
Bierer, at a cost of $341. This sum was raised by gen- 
eral subscription. The new part was laid out in lots; 
and the rule was adopted, that the bodies of those 
dying, who are members of the Church should be laid 
in succession from the cross-walks, without respect of 
persons — till the whole space be filled. Another por- 
tion was set apart for persons not members of the 
Church. A central lot was appointed and adorned for 
the last resting-place for the remains of ministers. Old 
grave-yards are liable, if not likely, to run to 
weeds, briers and general dilapidation. The old part 
here had become by long neglect such a sort of wilder- 
ness. Its general surface has been cleared off, however, 
and sunken graves were restored to shape, fallen tomb- 
stones were at least reset up, if not retouched by an " Old 
Mortality ; " the walks were repaired, trees were planted, 
ornamental shrubbery set out, a new fence built with 
proper gate- ways, until finally the whole inclosure pre- 
sents a more befitting appearance. Indeed the congre- 
gations and their superintendents deserve this mention 
for the real earnest they make in the care of their 
" Gottes- Acker/' containing the graves of their sainted 
dead. 

English here also, in the due course of events, 
pressed its way to the front. It finally came to a sepa- 
ration about the year 1850, between the two elements; 
resulting in the formation of the Second Eeformed 
congregation of Greensburg. That organization is ex- 



66 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



clusively English. It drained, at first and since, from 
the mother congregation, some of its most valuable ma- 
terials ; and prevented by that fact the numerical 
increase from being otherwise larger than it is. Until 
quite recently, the services in the old congregation 
were held entirely in the German language. Now they 
are mixed, thus providing for both tongues. 

Flourishing in healthy condition, this old congrega- 
tion, at the end of our national centennial, promises well 
for the future. Notwithstanding the severe losses by 
the separation into two bands, and the constant drain- 
age by removals from Greensburg, yet the membership 
at present numbers about two hundred and fifty com- 
municants. Household baptism, catechization of the 
young, confirmation, church festivals and other old well- 
tried Reformed customs generally are now, as hereto- 
fore, still held in high honor among the people. 

Benevolent contributions to the treasury of the 
Classis. amounted last year to §122 from this congre- 
gation ; besides what was given to the Orphan Home 
at Butler, and for Sunday-schools, as well as for other 
Christian purposes. A large list of " The Reformed Era" 
was taken and highly valued by the people, especially 
during the last year of its publication, which many saw 
discontinued with heartfelt regret. 

When Sunday-schools were not as common nor as 
popular as they are in this age, many years ago already 
there was a large and flourishing one in the First 
Church here. Owing, however, to the separation above- 
mentioned, and outgoing colonies, the tide for a time 
turned. Many other Sunday-schools too, were or- 
ganized in and around Greensburg; and hence the 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



67 



attendance became smaller in this school till it declined, 
and was for a time closed. But at present, a strong and 
flourishing Lutheran and Reformed Sunday-school is 
in successful opperation. 

Father Weber was the first minister in this con- 
gregation. He did a hard work here, and the fruits 
of his labors remain. His pastorate, running from the 
organization of the congregation, 1796, ceased in 
1816; and soon thereafter, he was called to his heavenly 
rest. 

Next came Rev. Henry Habliston, from Baltimore, 
who served this charge w r ith great acceptance for about 
three years. During his ministry, the membership in- 
creased considerably. In the spring of 1819 he re- 
signed his charge, and some months thereafter removed 
farther w r est. 

The Rev. Nicholas P. Hacke, D.D., next succeeded in 
the autumn of 1819. As elsewhere mentioned, he visited 
the charge when a mere youth, in the preceding spring, 
and he preached his first sermon in Greensburg, in 
the old court-house. That was before the present brick 
church was finished. This was fifty-eight years ago. 
He was soon thereafter examined, licensed and ordained 
to the office of the ministry, by the Synod at Lancas- 
ter ; and in the same fall, he settled in this, his first 
and only pastoral charge. He met with a hearty wel- 
come when he came among this people ; and some still 
survive who remember his first works. 

He had met many of the relatives and friends of 
these families, during his student days in Northampton 
county, Pa. And the people here were glad to have 
their spiritual wants ministered unto even by a very 



68 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



young parson, a real Timothy, who was only a little 
past his nineteenth year of age at the time he settled in 
Westmoreland. His inexperience then, has been more 
than made up since in the remarkably long pastorate, 
which under a favoring Providence has followed. The 
almost boyish preacher has now become the ripe min- 
ister, the venerable patriarch, whose life of uninter- 
rupted pastoral labors has been one of great fortitude 
and endurance. And even now, near the sunset of life, 
his natural force is not yet much abated, and his term 
of service still continues. 

From the first, the youthful pastor was warmly sup- 
ported by the elders. He has occasion to remember 
the late Adam Turney, who then led the congregational 
singing. He had a fine voice, and he was well at home 
in the rich old German chorals. He was an earnest 
and pious man. So there were many others, of whom 
time and space forbid to speak. 

Dr. Hacke's ministerial colleagues in Greensburg on 
the Lutheran side were : Rev. John Michael Steck, 
who, after serving the congregation thirty-eight years, 
died at his post in 1830. He was followed by his son, 
the Rev. Michael Steck, who continued in charge to 
the end of his useful life, which terminated in 1848. 
Next came the Rev. Jonas Mechling, serving in this 
place for twenty years, and also, while at his post, de- 
parted this life in 1868. His successor was the Rev. 
A. J. Brugle ; and at his resignation in the course of a 
few years, came the present incumbent, the Rev. Enoch 
Smith. 

The First Reformed congregation of Greensburg, for 
the last half century, the formative period of most of 



FIRST GREEN SB URG PASTORAL CHARGE. 69 

our American church history, has passed through but 
little incident or experience out of the ordinary course 
of things. For what there has been most cause for 
thankfulness, is the evenness of its lot. If it has not 
had freshet floods and storms in its spiritual life, it has 
at least had the constant dews of heavenly grace, the 
light and warmth of Divine love, and the quickening 
life and power of the Holy Spirit, from generation to 
generation, attending the faithful use of the word and 
sacraments. 

THE PARSONAGE. 

Reformed parsonages in western Pennsylvania, until 
quite recent years, we know, were rather exceptional, 
than the common rule. The one belonging to the First 
Greensburg charge was perhaps the first known in this 
section. There were, it is true, lands owned by nearly 
all the congregations ; and on these were erected 
churches, school-houses, and sometimes even a dwelling 
for the school-master. But there was no home particu- 
larly for the minister. 

When father Weber came here, he moved into a 
primitive log cabin, until he provided his own house. 
Before the end of his labors, however, he secured the 
Miihlisen church property, one main object of which 
was, to have a home for succeeding Reformed ministers. 
Here, w r e find indeed, that Rev. William Weinel lived 
from about 1820 until he moved to the Kiskiminetas 
region — say 1829. 

How the immediate movement resulting in securing 
the parsonage at Greensburg came about, the secret 
history of the affair will show. The charge was in 



70 FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



possible danger of losing its esteemed pastor, and it 
took this measure to anchor him more firmly to them. 
Two years after his settlement in this field, he attended 
the meeting of Synod at Reading, in 1821, where his 
preaching attracted the attention of an elder from a va- 
cant charge in the East. This man on his way to the "West 
in the following spring, stopped over at Greensburg, 
and made overtures to the pastor to accept of a call 
from that vacant charge, which was represented as 
owning a hundred acres of land, on which were suitable 
buildings for a minister's home. Though the invita- 
tion was, for reasons deemed satisfactory, declined, yet 
the men of forethought in the Greensburg charge, hav- 
ing heard of the case, took its lesson seriously to heart. 
And fearing lest they might not always be so fortunate 
as to retain their pastor when he was offered such odds 
for changing his place, they proposed to build him a 
good parsonage in Greensburg. A parsonage, it is 
indeed true, has something to do in the removing of 
a minister or settling him for life. With this hint, a 
word to the wise is sufficient. 

Wliere this Greensburg parsonage now stands, is part 
of the lot originally held by the two German Churches. 
The old log church was built on this portion of the 
ground, owned then jointly by the Lutherans and Re- 
formed. Beino; in debt for the building of the new 
church, this lot with the old church edifice thereon 
erected, was in 1822, offered for sale. The property 
was put up at public auction, and it was finally bought 
for $461 by the five Reformed congregations, then con- 
stituting the Greensburg charge. 

Efforts were then made to cover the cost of the new 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 71 



building by subscription. But, though renewed several 
different times, these efforts were always inadequate to 
reach the whole amount required for the purchase of 
the property, and the erection of the new house. To 
keep the cost as small as possible, the members had as- 
sisted at digging the cellar and hauling the material for 
the building. But, economize as they would, the whole 
cost in these hard times must have been something like 
$3,000. 

The structure erected was a roomy, plain, double 
two-story brick, by no means showy, but substantial. 
A debt was left resting upon the enterprise, and this 
running at interest began to feel heavy* Repeated ef- 
forts were made to cancel the whole amount ; yet in 
those peculiar times, all such attempts to extinguish it 
ended in partial failure. The people grew exceedingly 
tired of these recurring calls for contributions for this 
object, plainly because they did not do enough at any 
one time to get themselves to the end of their trouble. 

Becoming discouraged and disheartened, they at last 
offered the whole property to their pastor, in fee, if he 
would but assume the payment of the remaining debt 
— about §1200. This, of course, he declined doing, 
simply from principle ; for it was the bona fide intention 
of those who had given what was already paid, that the 
house should be a church parsonage. Hence, these 
Christian purposes should be faithfully carried out. 
Two of the congregations, Greensburg and the Ridge, 
had hitherto paid the largest part of its cost ; it was, 
therefore, proper for the other congregations to be called 
upon to assume and pay their due proportion. As they 
had by this time grown in numbers and in wealth, they 



72 FIRST GREEN SB UE G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



were now all the more able and ready to bear their 
share of the burden. But still the Greensburg con- 
gregation continued to the end of the last effort, to 
make liberal contributions along with the rest towards 
this object. 

Twenty-six years, however, it took to liquidate the 
whole debt, principal and interest. The last notes 
were paid, one to Levi Kemp, Feb. 27, 1847, and one 
to William Fisher, Nov. 20th, 1848. The whole un- 
dertaking, noble enough, but not so very large in itself, 
became thus burdensome, because the payments were 
made in so many, merely small dribs. 

While the property was so long under the heavy cloud 
of debt, of course, there was not much to spare for 
needed improvements. Hence, if the parson wanted 
anything done to it, he had to bear the expense. Thus, 
if he wanted a garden, he had to inclose the lot at his 
own cost. The first stable was built out of the mate- 
rial of the old church, which had stood upon this lot. 
The building committee were Adam Turney and Simon 
Drum, and they had, it is said, a serious and difficult 
duty to perform. Time of course, brought repeated 
demands for repairs. A new stable took the place of 
the old one ; and a new slate roof and fresh paint were 
put upon the house. The inside repairs were all made 
at the personal expense of the pastor. 

People and pastor of the charge may well feel thank- 
ful to the departed fathers for the deep interest they 
manifested in its material as well as spiritual welfare. 
When men, by no means as rich as some of their de- 
scendants are now, gave in sums of forty or fifty dollars 
towards such a project as the building of a home for 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



73 



their pastor, it showed some earnest love for the cause. 
This was all the more remarkable in those early times, 
when the erection of such a parsonage was an unheard- 
of thing in this part of the state. 

Of late years, parsonages are more necessary to the 
well-being of a charge and the comfort of the pastor, 
than in former times. It saves high rents, it provides 
a sure home for the parson and his family, and it cures 
the inconvenience of repeated removals from house to 
house, to which ministers are sometimes subject — even 
w 7 hen no suitable ones can be secured. The planting of 
trees, shrubs, vines and flowers at the parsonage, beau- 
tifies the home and rewards with shade, fruits and many 
home pleasures. Thus, what the minister and family 
have done, in improving, preserving and embellishing 
the grounds and the parsonage within, will not be lost. 
May Dr. Hacl^e and his family long continue to enjoy 
the fruits of their parsonage labors. 

Parsonages and churches, as things now go, last 
longer than average pastorates. Here, as in other re- 
spects, one man sows and another reaps. The parson's 
home is a sort of priest's portion ; and while " men 
may come and men may go/' here is a landmark of the 
fathers that remains. 

IV. THE MANOR CONGREGATION. 

Denmark Manor, a fine tract of land lvinp; from 
eight to twenty miles west of Greensburg, was so desig- 
nated by the Penns. This part of the county is at 
home called simply u The Manor." Hence the name 
of this particular district. 

This settlement very early contained among its hardy 
pioneers a goodly number of Germans. Here were the 
4 



74 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 

Degarclens, Brinkers, Nelighs, Lauffers, Finks, Eber- 
hards, Snyders, Berlins, Byerles, Kemerers, Kistlers, 
Heislers, Keisters, Knappenbergers, &c. 

Many of the immigrants came from Northampton, 
York, Adams, and Franklin counties, and some from 
Maryland. In the East, they and their friends were 
strongly attached to the Church of their fathers. They 
would, therefore, go far to hear the gospel, and long 
distance was no great obstacle to their public worship 
of God. For years, the members of the Reformed 
Church in this section belonged to the Brush-creek con- 
gregation, one of the oldest in western Penna. They 
would come from Pukety run, Beaver run, and from 
beyond Delmont. But these distances being found so 
inconvenient, they afterward resolved to organize a con- 
gregation at a place more accessible to themselves and 
their children. 

Nothing is on record of their action prior to Decem- 
ber, 1809, when a building committee was appointed to 
erect a house of worship. Paul Neligh and Adam 
Kemerer, Reformed, and Christian Eberhard, Lutheran, 
constituted said committee. Bezahl-meisters, paymas- 
ters for the work, or treasurers, were Jacob Brinker, 
Reformed, and Michael Fink, Lutheran. Possibly, the 
organization may have taken place as early as 1808. 
At all events, a beginning was made late in the fall of 
1809 in preparing material for the new building. By 
some advice, evidently from the outside of those honest 
Germans, an application was laid before the Legislature 
for the passage of an act granting the holding of a lot- 
tery, for the purpose of raising building funds for the 
new church. This request was, however ; denied ; for 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 75 



which we owe hearty thanks. Though such means 
were frequently resorted to in former years, by other 
denominations for the raising of benevolent funds, it 
were a sad reflection to know that any of our churches 
were built by lottery schemes. 

January the 12th, 1811, more than a year after the 
above committee was appointed, a contract agreement' 
was entered into for the erection of the new church. Its 
size was to be 38x46 feet. For doing the mason work 
$225 was to be paid the contractor, Peter Henkel ; and 
on May 15th, 1811, the work was accordingly begun. 
The committee furnished the material, such as stone, 
brick, mortar, scaffolding, and the boarding for the work- 
men. The corner-stone was laid by the Revs. Steck 
and Weber, on the 3d of J une following. Rev. Dr. 
Hacke infers this, from the fact that Michael Fink's re- 
ceipt-book notes on that date, that the offerings at the 
corner-stone laying were $99.08. Considering the times, 
this is an index of the liberality of the people, and the 
hearty Christian interest which they then felt in such a 
work of faith, as rearing a building to the honor of the 
Most High. Peter Kaiser undertook the collecting of 
funds for paying the mason's contract in full. 

Jacob Dry contracted with the building committee, 
December 24th, 1813, at $600, for doing the joiner 
work, the painting and glazing. All the material 
needed, and a dwelling for the contractor was to be fur- 
nished him. The work was to begin by the 12th of 
May, 1814. He was paid in full for his work June the 
7th, 1815 ; about which time, no doubt, the church was 
finished and dedicated. A debt, however, for materials 
still remained as late as the fall of 1825, when it was 
paid by subscription. 



76 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



Large churches in Germany afforded models for those 
far humbler structures of east Pennsylvania ; and these 
in turn were patterns for the still ruder edifices erected 
here. All followed the idea of a churchly style ; having 
an altar, a pulpit with sounding-board above, and gal- 
leries around three sides of the house. Other denomi- 
nations, as Presbyterians and Methodists, then only had 
" meeting-houses," without an altar or any distinctive 
church emblems, and using only a common stand or 
table. In our small churches built in early times, the 
architectural proportions of the grand old European 
models, were not duly observed ; and so of course much 
of the effect was lost. Venerable fathers themselves, 
living in rude log-cabins and rough houses, had but little 
aesthetic culture. In those days hardly a brick house, 
or even a respectable frame building could be found. 
Carpets, easy chairs, sofas, lace curtains and the like 
were unknown in the entire neighborhood. Hence, 
their tastes as to church buildings were consequently 
crude. But they did the best they could under the cir- 
cumstances. 

Now we find their children in changed conditions, 
with great improvements. Substantial, neat, and even 
fine dwelling-houses are multiplying. In these homes 
of growing wealth are found comforts and luxuries. 
But as yet they have still to worship in the old church. 
Let the children do what their fathers did — build for 
God a house equal to their means. 

The church grounds were owned by Conrad Knap- 
penberger and Jacob Brinker, from whom two acres 
were at first bought ; and afterwards, more was added 
by purchases from Paul Brinker and Jacob Lauffer. 



FIRST GREEK SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 77 



Universally the German churches had also a school- 
house near by. So it was here at the Manor. The 
German school-teacher at this place when Dr. Hacke 
came into the charge, was Andreas Almose, who also 
led the singing of the congregation. After the school- 
house was in part turned into a dwelling, it furnished a 
home for the sexton. The old structure is now more 
than sixty years of age. 

Introducing stoves into the old churches caused in 
some places quite a commotion and no small degree of 
trouble. This was one of the vexed questions in the 
early part of the present century. We have heard of 
one instance, where two nicely polished stoves were, 
after long discussion, placed in the church ; and, al- 
though no fires were kindled the first Sunday, yet the 
people were uncomfortable; and before the services 
ended several persons fainted and were carried out for 
recovery from the stifling air caused by the stove nui- 
sance ! 

This change at the Manor church, as elsewhere in the 
Greensburg charge, was made during the present pastor- 
ate. In the severest winter cold, the public services were 
held in the old log school-house; which, " when no school 
was kept, was a convenient and common retreat for the 
neighbors' sheep, which sought shelter there." The 
windows furnished insufficient light; and the old 
benches, splitting at the auger holes, or losing a leg, 
would sometimes, when heavily crowded, break down in 
the midst of the solemn services, causing some most ludi- 
crous interruptions. 

From such considerations, among others, it was finally 
determined to introduce stoves into the church. But 



78 FIRST GREEN SB URG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



there the difficult problem then was, how to get rid of 
the smoke. There were in this church, as in those 
elsewhere r no flues or chimneys built ; for it was strictly 
after the Eastern pattern. Jacob Brinker had stoutly 
remonstrated against this omission. 

As the smoke had to be passed out somehow, they 
would perhaps first run the end of a pipe through a 
broken window-pane, or other opening. In this in- 
stance, they put the pipes out over the two doors. But, 
as, after trial, this was found not to answer the pur- 
pose, one was then put through the wall on either 
side of the pulpit. This, it is true, gave some warmth 
to the minister; but, when the wind came from that 
quarter, it put him under a cloud sometimes, greatly to 
his discomfort. According as the wind blew, the house 
would be filled with smoke, not of incense, well nigh 
suffocating the pastor and incensing the people to tears. 
Then the pipes were taken at the next trial, through 
the ceiling and out through the roof; but this at one 
time set the house on fire — so, at last the chimney was 
built, and relief was thus obtained. 

Zeal for the language and customs of the fathers was 
shown by the Manor people, in giving their children a 
religious education, after the manner in which they 
themselves had been trained. When there was no 
highway to the East, but only a pack-saddle path 
through the mountainous wilderness, they sent thither 
for a teacher; and also, when his term of service ended, 
had him safely re-conveyed back again. The truths of 
the Bible, especially of the New Testament, with the 
doctrines of the Catechism, were regularly taught to 
the children in the parochial school. The services of 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



70 



the school were opened with singing and prayer. Then 
came the general reading of the holy Scriptures. These 
fundamental trainings awakened real desire to hear 
and learn more perfectly the teachings of the word of 
God. 

Though ministers were then few and the means of 
grace in the Church not so much within reach as now ; 
yet the people made diligent use of their scanty oppor- 
tunities,. Distance was then not so great an impedi- 
ment to the attendance at divine service. Many of the 
people then, yet walked these long miles to the house 
of God on the Lord's day. Indeed, it was a pleasant 
sight to see them coming through the woods, meeting 
each other in the interchange of friendly greetings as 
among Christian brethren. Then they would enter the 
house of worship in a reverential manner. There they 
devoutly prayed and joined heartily in the singing by 
the whole congregation. They listened with full at- 
tention to the preached word. And after service, they 
returned to their homes with Christian thanksgiving 
for the grace of the gospel and the divine mercies 
bestowed. 

Great was their love for the Church, and their attach- 
ment to the minister was strong and sacred ; and that 
love was in turn reciprocated by him. When the minis- 
ter took charge once, it was meant that he should stay 
and serve; it was fully intended as a life settlement. 
Neither he nor they thought of soon making a change. 

Children were then taught and trained to obey their 
parents in the Lord. So that, when the proper time 
came for their catechisation, the children of the covenant, 
consecrated in early baptism, were readily sent to the 



80 FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



" Kinclerlehre " in the catechetical class of the pastor. 
And they always obeyed. Even if at first they did it 
reluctantly, they came in due time to do it heartily as 
unto the Lord. A mutual attachment was formed be- 
tween them and their pastor ; and this usually lasted 
for life. Why should not children now obey in this 
matter, as well as in other things? 

Parents, of course, bid their children do this or that; 
to labor, to attend secular school, and form correct 
habits for this life. Should they not also exercise the 
same rule and authority over them, in training their 
souls for the higher life in the fellowship of the saints 
here and in the spirit world? But many parents in 
these latter days, when it comes to the time for catechi- 
sation, act as if the wilful child must first be consulted. 
If foolishness be still bound up in the heart, and he is 
disinclined to choose this u better part" of Christian 
nurture, he is indulged in his carnal inclination; and 
thus, alas ! may never become a full member of the 
Church. Thus, baptismal grace is made of none effect 
through lack of true Christian nurture ; and both parents 
and children fail of God's gracious covenant. 

Other things have also changed ; some indeed for the 
better. Learning has become more generally diffused 
through the community and among all classes of the peo- 
ple. The young in the Sunday-school are in some measure 
prepared to receive more intelligently the particular 
pastoral instruction in the doctrines and duties of our 
holy religion when they come to the catechetical class. 
The preacher has not now at least to consume his time 
as in many instances formerly, in teaching mere letters. 
Singing has been much improved among the young 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 81 



people. Religious reading is provided in many families. 
Objects of Christian beneficence, particularly missions 
and the care of the orphans, are encouraged by more 
liberal education in all Church work. More interest is 
felt in our colleges, seminaries, and in the meetings of 
the Classis and Synod. 

Altogether, we can look forward to a brighter future. 
Meanwhile, let all cling to the old land-marks ; but at 
the same time, let each make room, too, for what grows 
regularly in new life from the old faith and customs 
founded on the Bible, taught in the Catechism, and held 
by the Church. 

The people are still in a transition state as to lan- 
guage, from German to English. But here, as in the 
other parts of this charge, the Rev. Dr. Hacke need 
not, as some others have had to do, return with his peo- 
ple to the old paths. Since they have never forsaken 
them, there is no need for the humiliation of return. 
For this, they are not sorry. For, if in times of 
religious excitement, they were charged on some appa- 
rent ground, with being formal and lacking in spiritual 
life; they may at least humbly rejoice, that after the 
wild fire among others had spent its force, these people 
who accept the Bible principle of Christian nurture had 
no " burnt district " to mourn over, and are now still 
living a life of faith in the Lord Jesus. 

For many years this Manor congregation has had a 
flourishing union Sunday-school. It is now in good 
condition. The people are ready to communicate in all 
good things. Contributions to the Classical treasury 
for general benevolence on the annual apportionment 
were $119 last year. 

4* 



82 FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 



Hill's congregation, and also that at Delmont, for- 
merly Salem, are the daughters of the Manor church. 
But lately other great losses in numbers have also 
befallen this congregation, by numerous removals to 
neighboring places, as to Manor Station, Scottdale, 
Greensburg, &c. Yet notwithstanding this, there has 
been real growth. The first communion held here by 
the present pastor numbered only eighteen members. 
In 1823 they had increased to sixty-five. The highest 
number of communicants ever recorded here was one 
hundred and eighty-five. At the last administration of 
the Lord's Supper there were one hundred and fifty- 
eight guests present — and some of the membership 
were absent. 

Pastoral services rendered to this people, it is hardly 
necessary to add, have been by the same ministers who 
have been mentioned in the sketches of the other con- 
gregations of the Greensburg charge. Of course, this 
particular congregation, since a few years after its 
organization, and especially the present generation of 
members, from the oldest now living to the last bap- 
tized infant, have been almost exclusively under the 
Rev. Dr. Hacke's remarkable pastorate ; so that this 
may be known distinctly as the fruits of his long ser- 
vice. Here, the divine promise, during all these years, 
has been verified, sealing the work of Christ's ministry: 
"Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the 
worl.l > 

CONCLUSION. 

General remarks made in the foregoing sketch of one 
particular congregation in the Greensburg charge, are 
often quite as true with reference to the others. There 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE. 83 



were certain experiences common to the age, of which 
all had their share ; so that what is mentioned in giving 
an account of the one, in some marked characteristic, 
need not be repeated in form when treating of another. 
In this way we get an idea of the early life, trials, suc- 
cess and growth of these churches in the whole charge. 
The hardy fortitude, the frugal economy, the primitive 
simplicity, the self-sacrificing faith, and unyielding 
fidelity to the truth are everywhere to be noted in these 
old-time Reformed Christians. 

A few points common to all, which were not specially 
treated of in particular cases, may furnish wholesome 
lessons from the facts set forth in this brief history. 

I. The fathers had a pious care for the religious 
training of the young. Crude as were their notions 
about some things, in the fundamental idea of Christian 
nurture, they furnish a noble example worthy of imita- 
tion. With every church, they joined a school-house. 
Indeed, as a rule, the beginning was with the school ; 
even before they could erect a house of worship. If 
the two could not be had at once, for the time being, 
there came first the school-house provided for the in- 
struction of the young, and in the same building they 
held their worship. This was not only for secular edu- 
cation as such. Theirs were parochial schools, where 
the religious life of the Church ruled all else. 

When we consider that this was the case, a hundred 
years ago, when with other people of the scattered fron- 
tier settlements, schools were not common, if at all 
known, it is all the more remarkable and to the credit 
of these plain German fathers. Other denominations 
were not then so careful to provide the means for the 



84 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



education, particularly the religious education of the 
young. Their places of worship had not the school- 
house always standing beside, 

Parochial schools, with whatever defects that may 
have been found in them, had then indeed some excel- 
lent elements, not yet reached by the much-boasted and 
very much more expensive common-school system of 
this age. One of the Protestant German's main con- 
cerns was to provide for the Christian nurture of the 
children ; without which all other learning, of what- 
ever scientific measure, is vain — if not harmful. Bible 
and Catechism, with singing and prayer as divine wor- 
ship, were first essentials. AW other school duties were 
subordinated to these, and the whole school was first and 
last regulated from this stand-point. Instruction of the 
young thus starting with the truths of the Bible and 
teaching our " only comfort in life and in death," as 
revealed in the grace of the gospel, gave a healthful di- 
rection to the moral growth of the rising generation. 
This is of more real value than all the godless instruc- 
tion of modern schools. 

This primitive education in the parochial schools 
helped to make strong, honest, Christian people and 
good citizens. In this view, these early Germans and 
their descendants were always, even in straitened cir- 
cumstances and environed with outward difficulties, the 
hearty advocates and patrons of sound education ; in 
which they uniformly included the Christian element. 
Let this record stand therefore, as their memorial monu- 
ment. 

II, These fathers meant their work to stand. They 
laid large and solid foundations. They provided ample 



FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 85 



means to last, for both Church and school purposes. 
They secured sufficient land on which to erect buildings 
thus to be used by themselves and their children. Had 
those properties all been kept and the resources rightly 
husbanded, larger results might now appear. Each 
congregation, in the course of time, could doubtless have 
its own pastor and parsonage, as well as church build- 
ing. No doubt this was meajit to be the ultimate object, 
when the lands were first secured. 

In some of their records the documents read that the 
property is "to remain forever, for Church and school 
purposes, to the end of the world. " And again, in an- 
other place : " the same as a place of worship, school, 
and burying-ground forever, during ages, and as long 
as the sun and moon shine, or waters run and trees 
grow/' That will last through the succeeding centen- 
nials. 

Whether or not they made due allowance for the mu- 
tations of human affairs in the ages following, by which 
historical changes must be made, does not appear ; but 
at least their firm intention of making the present 
work stand, is clearly put upon the record. Places of 
worship located then may in the course of years be 
found ill adapted for the gathering of the people. In 
such cases, it would certainly be more profitable to sell 
inconveniently located properties, rendered measurably 
useless, and put the church where it would do the most 
good in a community. Intentions of the pious fore- 
fathers would thereby be fully carried into effect. 

For school p'urposes, these originally devoted proper- 
ties are now already practically lost. The good inten- 
tions of the founders might be more faithfully followed 



86 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



in spirit by devoting the fruits of their donations, in full 
harmony with the original plan, to the future educa- 
tional purposes in the Church under another and more 
general form. Endowments could thus be made to 
work for good through the ages. 

III. All their Church properties were held in union be- 
tween the Reformed and the Lutherans. This grew out 
of the nature of circumstances holding at that time. In 
Germany and in east Pennsylvania many families of 
these twin Churches of the Reformation were intermar- 
ried. The original sharp controversial differences had 
to a great degree subsided into broader fraternity. The 
two denominations were practically much alike in origin, 
history, customs, language and worship. They mutu- 
ally intermingled freely in social and religious life. 
Their aims, trials, dangers, hopes, fears, and gain6 
were one. 

Being each weak then in numbers, and so unable at 
that time to build separate churches for each denomina- 
tion's own scattered people, they joined both hands and 
means in the work. Neither Church had ministers 
enough to supply every small congregation with its own 
service, if but only once a week. In most cases, indeed, 
every four weeks, or at longer intervals, was as often as 
they could hold service. Hence, living in the same 
community, they could reciprocally attend each other's 
service held alternately in the same house of worship. 
Thus, at the same time, whether the appointment, were 
by a Lutheran minister on one Sunday in each 
month, and by a Reformed minister on a Sunday at an 
interval between, the same mixed audience would be 
present at the church. 



FIRST GREEN SB UR G PASTORAL CHARGE, 87 



So, too, the same school-master taught all the children 
of the two denominations ; the Catechism of the Re- 
formed Church, to the children who were designated to 
be trained in that system of doctrine, and the Lutheran 
Catechism was as carefully taught to the children sent 
by Lutheran families. Sometimes children of mixed 
families were divided between the two systems of faith 
held respectively by the father and mother ; so that 
some were taught by the school-master as Lutherans, 
and others as Reformed. Then, too, if the minister of 
the one Church were more popular, more partizan, or of 
greater personal influence than his colleague of the other 
— he could get most of the children to attend his " Kin- 
derlehre" and confirm them in that faith. 

Generally this union relation was respected and 
worked harmoniously. But it is always liable to fric- 
tion, if not indeed to engender party jealousy, and be- 
come subject to proselyting. As long as there was any 
remote hnpe of a final organic union of the two 
Churches, even after the first necessities for this state of 
things had passed away, it was all well enough. But 
now that the congregations of both sides in the " Union," 
have grown stronger, the supply of ministers more 
nearly meeting the wants, and the material ability of 
each party enabling them to support their own minister 
and their own worship weekly; the primitive necessity 
for these union church properties, is not to be consi- 
dered as forever binding. The ecclesiastical courts of 
both these Churches have repeatedly recommended that 
this old source of inter-denominational complications be 
simplified, and, as far as possible, avoided. As in the 
early Christian times, let each Church have its own pas- 



88 FIRST GREENSBURG PASTORAL CHARGE. 



tor ; which will enable each branch of the Church to 
live, like families, every household in its own home. 
Like the — 

" Star that maketh not haste, 
That taketh not rest," 

history will surely bring that day. Meanwhile let 
grace, mercy, and peace, from the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Spirit, abide with the people of the living 
God, to whom be all the praise and glory. Amen. 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



Br Rev. D. B. LADY. 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



BY REV. D. B. LADY. 



A field of pastoral labor, known as the Mt. Plea- 
sant charge, was arranged as early as 1816 or 1817. 
It consisted at that time of eight congregations, 
viz.: Mt. Pleasant, Schwab's, Kindig's, Ligonier Val- 
ley, Muehleisen's, Seaner's, Yockey's, and Boehmer's. 
The charge was changed at different times. Yockey's 
and Boehmer's were taken off, and the congregations 
at Donegal, Indian Creek, and Youngstown were 
added. There was also a congregation at Barren Bun, 
which belonged for some time to this pastoral charge 
and perhaps others. 

As at present constituted the charge is composed of 
four congregations, viz. : St. Peter's, St. John's, St. 
Paul's, and Zion's. This arrangement was effected in 
1864. For several years afterwards the pastor also 
supplied a small congregation at Donegal. 

The charge was served from 1864 to September 1st, 
1869, by Rev. J. A. Peters. He received some assistance 
during the first few years of his pastorate from Rev, E. 
H. F. Voigt, the old pastor, who preached in the Ger- 
man language whenever it was required. On the 10th 

91 



92 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



of October, 1869, Rev. A. J. Heller became the pastor, 
and continued in this relation up to March 5th, 1872. 
The installation of Rev. Heller took place in the col- 
lege chapel at Mt. Pleasant, the committee of installa- 
tion being Revs. T. J. Barkley and H. F. Keener. 

The present pastor, Rev. D. B. Lady, was ordained 
and installed on the 14th of July, 1872. The services 
on this occasion were held in St. Paul's church, and 
were participated in by a very large audience. The offi- 
ciating ministers were Revs. W. E. Krebs, J. W. Love, 
and J. I. Swander. 

The charge has been steadily growing in membership 
and Church life from the beginning. In 1864, two 
hundred and twenty-six members were reported. The 
present number is two hundred and eighty. A new 
church was built in 1872, and in 1873 a lot was pur- 
chased and a comfortable parsonage erected thereon. 
The joint consistory was organized and a constitution for 
the government of the body adopted in December, 1864. 
In 1 866, the apostolic plan of systematic benevolence was 
adopted by the joint consistory, and it has been in suc- 
cessful operation in the charge to the present time. 
From $175 to $225 are contributed in this way annu- 
ally to the different charitable enterprises of the Church. 
A salary, ranging from $700 to $900 a year has been 
paid to the pastor for his services. The present salary 
is $800 with the use of the parsonage. 

1. St. Peter's Congregation. — This congregation 
was organized in 1864, at Mt. Pleasant, in what was 
then known as the u Westmoreland College" building. 
It received the name of " All Souls." This was changed 
in 1871 to its present designation. 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



93 



The congregation worshiped in the college chapel 
from 1864 to the 9th of April, 1871, when this build- 
ing passed out of the hands of the Reformed Church. 
For the next year the school-house on Bunker Hill, 
east of town, was used as a place of worship. During 
this year a new church w r as built on Main Street just 
east of the Borough line. The building was dedicated 
on the 17th of April, 1872. A small debt remained 
on the church for some time, but was finally cancelled 
about three years after the dedication. This enterprise 
was begun and pushed almost to completion under the 
ministry of Rev A. J. Heller, and the existence of this 
church is due largely to his zeal and energy. The 
building is constructed in the Gothic order, and is a neat 
and comfortable place of worship. 

The congregation was organized out of students at 
the college and material belonging to St. John's and 
Zion's congregations, the former at a distance of two, 
and the latter four miles from town. The names of the 
first consistory are: Elders, Benj. Kemp and C. H. 
Poole; Deacons, Geo. Hartzel, Jr. and John S. Levan. 
Twenty-eight members were present at the first com- 
munion, eight of whom were students at the college. 
The congregation was organized therefore with a resi- 
dent communicant membership of perhaps twenty-five. 

The confirmations since the organization number 
fifty-eight. Of these thirty-three belong to the pasto- 
rate of Rev. J. A. Peters, and twenty-five to that of 
Rev. D. B. Lady. Thirty-nine members have been re- 
ceived by certificate since the organization, seven under 
the ministry of Rev. Peters, five under that of Rev. 
Heller, and twenty-seven under that of Rev. Lady. 



94 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



The highest number present at one communion was 
sixty-nine. This occurred in October, 1873. The pre- 
sent number of communicant members is sixty-four. 
The baptized members number eighty-seven. 

The officers are : Elders, William Barn hart and John 
Weitzel ; Deacons, Geo. Hartzel and John M. Lease. 

A Sunday-school has been sustained in the congrega- 
tion from the beginning. The number of scholars vary 
from forty to sixty. The present number of teachers is 
eight. The Superintendents are J. H. Keim and S. P. 
Zimmerman. 

The succession of pastors is identical with the succes- 
sion in the charge, since 1864. 

There is nothing either particularly encouraging or 
discouraging in the prospects of this congregation. The 
town in which it is located is more than usually well 
supplied with churches and the accompanying means of 
grace. Five of the other denominations hold services 
every LordVday morning and evening, whilst we can 
hold but one regular service every other LoixPs-day. 
The progress of the congregation will depend largely 
upon a natural growth. The greater part of the mate- 
rial must come from its own families. 

2. St. John's Congregation. — This congregation 
was formerly known as " Kindig's." It is impossible 
at this late day, and in the absence of Church records, 
to fix the exact date of organization. In Harbaugh's 
Fathers of the Reformed Church, it is stated, upon the 
authority of original documents, that Rev. John Wil- 
liam Weber, the first resident Reformed pastor in this 
region, arrived here in 1782, and took charge of four 
congregations, viz., "one in Pittsburg, two in Hempfield 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



95 



township, Brush-creek, and Harold's, and one in Mt. Plea- 
sant to wship." It is a question whether the congrega- 
tion in Mt. Pleasant tow T nship referred to is this, or the St. 
Paul's congregation in the same township near Pleasant 
Unity. It is possible that this is the congregation spo- 
ken of. The probabilities however are that it is not. 
If it is, the congregation was in existence as early as 
1782. It may not have been regularly organized at that 
time. But it is reasonable to suppose that an organiza- 
tion was effected shortly after the settlement of a pastor. 
If this congregation was not one of the original four 
over which Rev. Weber was regularly placed, it may 
still have been in existence at that time, or may have 
come into existence shortly afterwards, for it is further 
stated in regard to pastor Weber, that he visited a 
number of neighboring infant congregations, extending 
his journeys into Allegheny, Washington, and Fayette 
counties, where he instructed the young, administered 
the sacraments, and preached the Gospel. It may be 
taken for granted that this was at least one of the " in- 
fant congregations ,J which were favored with the occa- 
sional ministrations of Rev. Weber. And hence we 
may say with a reasonable degree of certainty that the 
organization of this congregation took place about the 
year 1782 or 1783. 

If the above conjectures are correct it is probable 
that the congregation was served, at least in an occa- 
sional way, by Rev. Weber until the year 1816. 
There are persons still living in the neighborhood who 
remember that he preached in Daniel Kintig's barn and 
also in the first Kintig's church. From 1816 to 1829 
the congregation was served by Rev. William Weinel. 



96 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



A Church record, begun by Rev. Weinel in 1821, is in 
existence. His last communion in the congregation was 
held on the 6th of June, 1829. His successor was Rev. N. 
P. Hacke, whose first communion took place Nov. 28th, 
1829. In the latter part of 1831, or the beginning of 1832, 
he was succeeded by Rev. Adam Byers. Rev. H. E. F. 
Voigt took charge of the congregation in the latter part 
of the year 1832 or the beginning of 1833, and con- 
tinued in the office of pastor till 1864. In 1857, Rev. 
L. H. Keafauver became English supply for this con- 
gregation. He was succeeded in 1859 by Rev. C. C. 
Russell. In July 1861, Rev. F. K. Levan became 
joint pastor w r ith Rev. Voigt. He was succeeded by 
Rev. J. A. Peters a short time before the close of 
Father Voigt's ministry in 1864, at which time he be- 
came sole paster. The succession of pastors from this 
time on in the congregation w r as the same as that al- 
ready described for the whole charge. 

The place of worship of this congregation is two 
miles north of Mt. Pleasant on the Pleasant Unity road. 
The land was donated for church and school purposes 
by four men, Daniel Kintig, who lived on the farm on 
which Daniel Ruff now lives; Henry Fisher, w r ho 
lived where Peter Rumbaugh now lives ; Andrew 
Smull, who lived where Jacob Fisher now lives, and 
John Deeds, who lived where John Rumbaugh, Sr. 
lives. The four farms joined at a point near the spot 
occupied by the present church, and each one gave a 
half acre to form a lot for church and school-house. 

The first church was small, built of logs, and used 
for both church and school-house. It is still standing, 
and is used at present as a dwelling-house. About the 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



97 



year 1827 a brick church was erected, which was super- 
seded by the present building. The last house was 
consecrated free of debt in the autumn of 1861. The 
property has been owned and occupied from the begin- 
ning conjointly with a Lutheran congregation. 

The first communion roll in existence is for the year 
1821. It numbers twenty-seven, including thirteen 
confirmed the day before. Thirty-nine persons were 
confirmed by Kev. W. Weinel between 1821, when he 
began the record, and 1829, when his ministry closed. 
The highest number present at any communion during 
that time was forty-six ; this was in the year 1828. Dur- 
ing Rev. Voigt's ministry thirty-four were confirmed. 
The highest number of communicants occurs in 1843, and 
is fifty-four. During Rev. Kefauver's ministry ten were 
confirmed. The highest number at communion was 
forty-four, in 1859. Under Rev. Russell's ministry the 
highest communion roll, that for 1860, numbers forty. 
Rev. Levan confirmed eight persons, and the highest 
number at communion in his time was fifty-one. This 
was in 1862. Rev. J. A, Peters confirmed eighteen. 
In 1854 the communicants numbered fifty-four. This 
seems to have been a joint communion of this congre- 
gation and the one recently organized at Mt. Pleasant. 
Under Rev. Heller's ministry there were ten persons 
confirmed, and the highest number on the communion 
roll is thirty-two. The confirmations under Rev. 
Lady's pastorate are twelve, and the largest commu- 
nion roll is forty-seven. 

Since the beginning of the Record in 1821, eighty- 
seven communions have been held, and the average at- 
tendance at communion has been 29f. The present 
5 



98 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



communicant membership is forty. The unconfirmed 
membership is twenty-nine. 

The officers are: Elders, Isaac Shupe, and Christ. 
Sandals; Deacons, J. A. Byers, and L. B. Shupe. 

It is probable that the congregation will be able to 
hold its own, as it has done for the last half century, 
and perhaps make some advance, especially if the mem- 
bers continue faithful in their allegiance to the Church 
of their fathers, and bring up their children in the 
good old Reformed paths. Some losses w 7 ere experienced 
in making the transition from the German language to 
the English. The organization of a congregation in 
Mt. Pleasant, but two miles away, although for the in- 
terest of the Church in general in this section, was 
unfavorable to the growth of this particular congrega- 
tion, as a considerable amount of its material, both 
active and prospective, was absorbed by the new organi- 
zation. It is not likely that any such obstacles to pro- 
gress will be met with in the near future. We look 
forward to a period of natural and healthy, though not 
rapid growth. 

3. St. Paul's Congregation. — This congregation is 
known also as (C Frey's " and the u Ridge." The first 
name is derived from the fact that a Frey family owned 
the farm, for many years, from which the land was 
taken upon which the church is built. There are still 
three families of Freys living w T ithin sight of the church. 
It is called the Ridge church perhaps because it is but 
a short distance from Chestnut Ridge. 

The St. Paul's congregation is perhaps the oldest 
congregation in the Mt. Pleasant charge, and one of 
the oldest_in Westmoreland Classis. It is the opinion 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



99 



of Rev. N. P. Hacke, D.D., who has been pastor of a 
charge in the Classis since 1819, and to whose charge 
this congregation belonged for many years, that this is 
the congregation* referred to in Fathers of the Reformed 
Churchy as one of the four taken charge of by Rev. 
John William Weber in 1783. In a letter to the 
present pastor of the Mt. Pleasant charge, dated No- 
vember 24th, 1876, he gives the following reasons for 
this opinion : " The first church in which the congre- 
gation worshipped was built upon the farm formerly 
owned by' Caspar Weaver, a relative of Rev. Weber; 
the largest number of Reformed members, principally 
from Northampton county, where Rev. Weber preached 
in the first years of his ministry, resided in this 
neighborhood ; the so -called Sewickly settlement was at 
an early day very German ; Rev. Weber, soon after his 
arrival in these parts, is known to have held catechiza- 
tion in the vicinity of the first and second churches ; 
and, lastly, a Mr. Fiskeys, from this neighborhood, 
was sent with a team to Northampton county to move 
Rev. Weber to Westmoreland county." 

If this opinion is correct, St. Paul's congregation 
was in existence as early as 1782. If not fully orga- 
nized at that time, the probabilities are that a regular 
organization was effected soon after the arrival of Rev. 
Weber. Unfortunately the records of the congregation 
have been preserved only as far back as 1849. Another 
Church book, dating much farther back, was in exist- 
ence, but was taken away from the church during the 
war, for the purpose of determining the ages of certain 
persons whose baptism was recorded in it. Doubtless 



* In Mt. Pleasant township. 



100 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



it fell into the hands of persons who did not know its 
value. It may have been destroyed as so much waste 
paper. 

We know, however, from other sources, that Rev. 
Weber served the congregation up to the time of his 
death in July, 1816. His last sermon was preached in 
St. Paul's church but two weeks before that event took 
place. Of the fruits of his labors we can give no accu- 
rate account owing to the absence of records. But 
there is reason to believe that his efforts to build up 
the kingdom of Christ in this community were suc- 
cessful. The subsequent prosperity of the congregation 
argues that a good foundation must have been laid by 
him. The thirty-four years of his ministry, followed 
as they have been by the faithful labors of subsequent 
pastors, have made the congregation what it is to-day. 

Pastor Weber was succeeded some time after his 
death, by Rev. Henry Habliston, who preached in the 
congregation probably about two years. We have no 
record of his labors. 

In 1819, Rev. N. P. Hacke took charge of the con- 
gregation and served as pastor till 1863. Shortly 
afterwards the present Mt. Pleasant charge was formed, 
and St. Paul's congregation becoming part of it, was 
served by the successive pastors mentioned in our 
sketch of the charge. 

The first church used by this congregation as a place 
of worship, was built upon the former farm of the late 
Caspar Weaver. Afterwards a house of worship was 
built on the site of the present edifice, one mile and a 
half south of Pleasant Unity. This church was built of 
logs, and was for a long time without gallery, pulpit, 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



101 



altar, or pews. Subsequently, through the exertions of 
some of the leading members, these were supplied. 
Afterwards the building was also plastered on the out- 
side, which made it for a time look more respectable. The 
present brick church was built in 1846 under the pas- 
torate of Rev. N. P. Hacke, and his colleague, on the 
Lutheran side, Rev. Jonas Mechling. It has since re- 
ceived a new roof, been repainted and frescoed, and is 
now altogether one of the best and most comfortable 
country churches in the county. 

The first communion roll in the present " Church 
Book," numbers sixty-three. In 1849, one hundred 
and seven persons communed. In June, 1859, one 
hundred and fourteen, and in October, 1859, one hun- 
dred and five names are recorded. These are the high- 
est numbers communing in the pastorate of Rev. N. P. 
Hacke. During his ministry three confirmations are re- 
corded, numbering altogether forty-one persons. There 
were undoubtedly other confirmations during this time, 
of which no separate record was made. Three classes 
were confirmed during the ministry of Rev. J. A. 
Peters, aggregating twenty-nine persons. The highest 
number of communicants partaking of the Lord's Sup- 
per, at one time, in this pastorate, was eighty-eight. 
One class, numbering thirteen, was confirmed by the 
Rev. A. J. Heller, and his largest communion was held 
in 1871, eighty-eight members participating. Under 
the ministry of Rev. D. B. Lady, up to the present 
time, forty-seven persons have been confirmed. In May, 
1874, one hundred and three, and in October, 1875, one 
hundred and three names are recorded on the commu- 
nion roll. 



102 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



The present number of communicant members is one 
hundred and forty. There are eighty-three baptized 
members. 

The names of the consistory are: Elders, Simon 
Brinker and William Truxal, Sr. ; Deacons, Aaron 
Ankeny, Michael Poorman, Jr., and J. B. Frey. 

In 1861, a division took place in this congregation. 
About one- third of the members withdrew and were 
organized into the St. Luke's congregation of Pleasant 
Unity, and connected with the Latrobe charge. Both 
congregations have prospered since the separation, and 
each one now numbers almost as many members as the 
old organization did before the division. Pleasant 
Unity and vicinity may be said to be one of the strong- 
holds of the Eeformed Church in Westmoreland county. 

The first Sunday-school connected with this congre- 
gation was held in a large room over a distillery on the 
farm of the late William Fisher, about two miles from 
the church. It was afterwards moved to the church. 
This was about forty years ago. 'A union Sunday- 
school, kept open only during the summer season, has 
been sustained in the congregation, more or less success- 
fully since that time. In the spring of 1875 the Lu- 
therans organized a separate school. In 1876 similar 
action was taken by the Reformed congregation. There 
are ten teachers, and from sixty to seventy scholars con- 
nected with the school. Samuel B. Fisher and Simon 
P. Truxal are the superintendents. 

4. — Zion's Congregation. This congregation was 
formerly known by the name of " Schwabs/ ' afterwards, 
changed to Swopes. The name was probably taken 
from the name of a family in the neighborhood. The 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE, 



103 



name of the family was doubtless derived from the 
country in Germany from which they came — das Schwa- 
ben Land. The congregation is now called " Zion's." 
The church is located four miles southwest of Mt. 
Pleasant, about two hundred yards to the right of 
Ragentown road. 

The congregation was organized, it is supposed, about 
the time of the organization of the St. John's congrega- 
tion, and its early history was probably very much the 
same. A " Church Book " was begun by Rev. "William 
"Weinel in the year 1822. Further back than this 
there are no records. 

A log church which stood in the grave-yard on the 
right of the road, was used for many years as a place of 
worship. A brick church was built on the opposite 
side of the road, on land donated by Mr. Jacob 
Leighty, about the year 1862. It is a neat, comforta- 
ble and substantial edifice. In the summer of 1872, 
the inside received a coat of paint, the chancel was 
carpeted and other improvements added. 

The congregation was probably organized by Rev. 
Weber. It was afterwards served by Revs. Weinel, 
Voigt, Keafauver, Levan, Russell, Peters, Heller and 
Lady. Rev. W. Weinel took charge of it, most likely, 
about the year 1817. He continued pastor until 1825. 
He may have preached in the congregation after this 
date, but no communions are recorded as held by him 
later than 1825. A communion was held on the 15th 
of July, 1827, according to the record, at which Rev. 
N. P. Hacke officiated. A communion was also held on 
the 19th of April, 1829, and another on the 22d of 
November, by Rev. C. Zwidler. These are the only 



104 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



communions held, or at least the only ones recorded, 
between 1824, when Rev. Weinel held his last, and 
1835, when Rev. Voigt held his first communion. It 
is probable that there was no stated preaching between 
1825 and 1835. Rev. Hacke supplied the congrega- 
tion occasionally. Rev. C. Zwidler may have been 
pastor during the year 1829. 

Rev. Voigt preached here till 1864. From 1858 to 
1860, Rev. H. L. Kefauver was English supply, hold- 
ing a service in this language once every two months. 
In 1860, Rev. C. C. Russell succeeded him. In 1861 
Rev. Russell was succeeded by Rev. F. K. Levan, who 
continued in the office of English supply or assistant 
pastor till 1864, when, Father Voigt being disabled, 
the congregation became part of the newly-formed Mt. 
Pleasant charge, and was placed under the sole pastoral 
care of Rev. J. A. Peters. The succession of pastors 
from this time has already been indicated. 

Under the ministry of Rev. W. Weinel, especially 
from 1822 to 1825, the congregation seems to have en- 
joyed a season of great prosperity. In 1822 twenty- 
three persons were confirmed. Two years afterwards 
there were twenty-five confirmed. There were forty- 
five persons present at communion in 1835. During 
the vacancy between 1825 and 1835 the congregation 
no doubt became somewhat scattered. At the commu- 
nion held by Rev. Zwidler in 1829, twenty-eight per- 
sons communed, including nine who were confirmed on 
the occasion. The communicants during Rev. H. E. 
F. Voigt's ministry ranged from ten to thirty-two. 
The congregation probably numbered from forty to 
fifty members during this time. It must be remem- 



MT. PLEASANT CHARGE. 



105 



bered that only the names of those actually communing 
are recorded. 

No separate record was made in this book by Father 
Voigt of the names of those who were confirmed. 
Hence the number cannot be ascertained. 

English services were first introduced into the con- 
gregation by Rev. Kefauver in 1858. In 1859 a class 
of fifteen were confirmed, and the congregation took a 
new lease of life. In December, 1865, under the pas- 
torate of Eev. Peters, eight persons were confirmed. In 
May, of the same year, forty-one communed. In May, 
1871, Rev. Heller being pastor, three persons were con- 
firmed and thirty-four communed. The number of con- 
firmations under the pastorate of Rev. Lady is twenty, 
and the highest number present at one communion is 
thirty-nine. The congregation numbers at present forty- 
eight confirmed and twenty-five unconfirmed members. 

The consistory consists of, Elders : Peter Steinman, 
Jacob Leighty, Sr., and M. J. Leighty; Deacons, M. 
M. Leighty, Jacob Felgar and Geo. S. Lowe. 

The prospects of the congregation are perhaps as en- 
couraging as they have been any time within the last 
fifty years. 

A Sunday-school, numbering from sixty to eighty 
scholars and from eight to ten teachers, has been held 
during the summer season for the last three years. M. 
M. Leighty and J. R. Leighty are the superintendents. 



5* 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



By Rev. J. I. S WANDER. 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



BY REV. J. I. SWANDEE. 



This Charge was organized in 1869. It has had but 
one and the same Pastor through the seven years of its 
history. During that time it has had an increase of 
membership from two hundred and thirty to three hun- 
dred and twenty. It is composed of four congregations, 
viz : Ligonier, Youngstown, Pleasant Unity, 
and Latrobe. 

1. Ligonier Congregation. — Ligonier Valley em- 
braces the south-eastern portion of Westmoreland 
county, and is situated between Chestnut Ridge and 
Laurel Hill. In this valley the Rev. John William 
Weaver, the first Reformed missionary west of the Al- 
legheny mountains, preached the Gospel of Christ to 
the pioneer fathers and mothers who settled in these 
forests a hundred years ago. 

But little is known of Rev. Mr. Weaver's labors in 
this part of Pennsylvania. His acts and proceedings 
are not upon record. His self-denials and hardships 
will ever remain a rich part of the Church's unwritten 
history. It is, however, well known, both through 
tradition and fragmentary records, that he distributed 
a portion of his time and labor in Ligonier Valley, 
This was previous to 1816, when he departed this life 
in the full hope of the faithful missionary's reward. 

109 



110 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



His immediate successor was Rev. William Weinel. 
Mr. Weinel took charge of the work on the 26th day 
of April, 1818. He labored in the "Valley" until 
June, 1822. During his ministry, a church was built 
about two miles south-west of the place now occupied 
by Ligonier borough. This church was built and 
owned by the Reformed and Lutheran people of the 
neighborhood. It was called the "Old Dutch Meet- 
ing House." It was a rude house, but a sacred place 
to the Fathers of artless, unassuming piety. Dr. 
Hacke's impression is that it contained but one win- 
dow. The pulpit was in one corner of the church. 
Dr. H. thinks that they placed the pulpit to one side 
for the sake of convenience. They wanted a high 
pulpit, and not wishing to place it before the only 
window, so as to exclude the light of the sun, they con- 
cluded to put the light of the Gospel, not under a 
bushel, but up in the corner. 

Here the pioneers assembled to worship God. It 
was quite customary for them to go armed with their 
guns. This had become necessary in earlier times on ac- 
count of Indians and wild beasts. The habit probably 
clung to them after there was but little danger from 
either source. Sometimes game was killed on the 
way to Zion. On one occasion one of the elders, 
Henry Brant, on his way to church, was met by a bear. 
Bruin climbed a tree. Mr. Brant discharged his gun 
several times at the animal and then climbed up after 
him. The bear had been severely wounded, but was 
not dead. In his death struggles he embraced Mr. 
Brant with more strength than affection, and the two 
fell together to the ground. Mr. Brant bearly escaped 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



Ill 



with his life, but, like many now, he was too late for 
church. 

There is a very meager record of Rev. Mr. WeinePs 
ministry in Ligonier Valley. No doubt, however, but 
his record is in heaven, while the " Old Dutch Meeting 
House" has returned to the earth. His last communion 
service was held on the 1st day of June, 1822, when 
twenty-three persons received the holy communion 
at his hands. 

Rev. N. P. Hacke succeeded Mr. Weinel in the 
spring of 1823. He seems to have brought about a 
more perfect organization of the Reformed element in 
the community. His first communion was held on the 
22d of June. The following are the names of the 
eleven communicants on that occasion, viz. : 

Matthias Marker, Martin Philippi, John Brant, 
Fred. Hargouet, Margaret Marker, Eliz. Philippi, 
Eve Eliza Brant, Annie Maria Dietz, Sarah Nicely, 
Maria Marker, Eve Barrone. 

On the 11th day of the following September, 1823, 
Rev. Hacke confirmed seventeen persons, which with 
the addition otherwise made increased the communing 
membership to forty-one. 

Dr. Hacke labored in the valley until June 17th, 
1832, when he was followed by the Rev. H. E. F. 
Voigt, who continued to visit the people from his 
home in Mt. Pleasant until March 1st, 1857. During 
his ministry of twenty-five years among them he made 
for himself the reputation of being an eminently pious 
man and a fgood preacher. The people up and down 
the valley still speak of his proverbial goodness in his 
reatment of man and beast. Tradition says that he 



112 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



was very kind to his horse which he seemed to look 
upon as his " companion in tribulation." When he 
was in fear of being too late for his appointments, he 
was frequently known to get down from his horse, hitch 
him to the fence, and hurry forward with greater speed 
on foot, unwilling to over-tire his favorite animal in fill- 
ing his fast-line schedule over the Westmoreland hills. 

It was during the ministry of Rev. Father Voigt 
that the Reformed people, in union with the Lutherans, 
built a new church. The "Old Dutch Meeting 
House" having served its generation gave way to a 
more substantial edifice. A lot of ground was bought 
of Jacob Lowry, and a brick church was erected in the 
year 1852. . The property cost about $3,000, and is now 
worth $5,000. The Reformed congregation being 
weaker than the Lutheran side, contributed less than 
half the means, but have and hold an acknowledged 
equal share in the property, with an equal privilege of 
occupying it one-half the time. The deed was made 
by Mr. Lowry on the 17th of April, 1852, in favor of 
the Evangelical Lutheran and German Reformed con- 
gregations. The church is situated on the main street 
of Ligonier borough, near the destination and proposed 
depot of the Latrobe and Ligonier Valley Railroad. 

During the latter part of Rev. Voigt's ministry the 
Reformed interest gradually weakened. In 1857 the 
Lutherans outnumbered them three to one. This was 
probably the result of several causes. The greatest 
among these was the unwillingness of the Reformed 
side to follow up the transition from the German to the 
English language. Father "Voigt was tenderly at- 
tached to his people, and being unwilling to leave 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



113 



them so as to make room for an English minister, and 
equally unable to follow their children over into the 
practical English tongue, the young people strayed 
away into other folds, some of them out of love 
for the truth in a known tongue, and others because 
they were ashamed of the sacred associations, the honest 
simplicity and parental piety that clustered in the u Old 
Dutch Meeting House." 

In this condition the case was taken up by Westmore- 
land Classis, and Rev. Christian C. Russell was sent as 
missionary to Ligonier Valley in 1859. He labored 
with great self-denial to strengthen the things that re- 
mained and to reclaim what had been lost. He suc- 
ceeded in organizing the lingering fragments, but the 
mistake had been made and the loss was partially irre- 
parable. Rev. Russell appears to have lacked no fitness 
for the work, and spared no pains to perform it. He 
labored eleven years in the valley, during which time he 
served other congregations, which will be spoken of in 
parts of this work. 

On the 1st of June, 1870, Rev. John I. Swander was 
called to the Latrobe Charge, of which Ligonier con- 
gregation was a part. At that time the officers of the 
congregation were found to be as follows : Elders, Adam 
Brant, Daniel Bitner ; Deacons, Henry Brant, William 
Schaffer. 

The congregation numbered thirty members. It has 
since increased to thirty-seven, and these are scattered 
over several townships up and down and across the 
valley, which for sixty years has been a dark valley for 
the Reformed Church, but, like the valley of Achor, it 
is the door of hope. 



114 



L AT ROBE CHARGE. 



II. Youngstown Congregation. Youngstown is 
an old borough, at the foot of Chestnut Ridge, on the 
old turnpike thoroughfare, forty miles east of Pitts- 
burgh. In the latter part of the eighteenth century 
the tide of Western emigration carried a large number 
of Reformed families over the Alleghenies into the 
Westmoreland country. Many of them settled along 
the Loyalhanna and its tributaries in the direction of 
Greensburg and Mt. Pleasant. These Reformed pio- 
neers were visited by Rev. J ohn William Weaver in his 
extensive missionary tours through the western portion 
of the State. He preached in different settlements, and 
organized congregations wherever it was thought advi- 
sable. We have no certain knowledge that he organized 
a congregation at Youngstown. We know, however, 
that he prepared the way for the Rev. William Weinel, 
who served the Youngstown congregation previous to 

1820. Dr. Hacke found a church and a congregation 
of worshipers when he went there, on the 13th of May, 

1821. His first communion was held in that month. 
The following are the names of the communicants : 

Jacob Eiserman, John Brindle, John George Brindle, 
Jacob Siegfriet, Joseph Smith, Daniel Bonebright, 
Veronica Brindle, Magdalena Siedler, Philip Shiry, 
John Knight, Jacob Bott, Catharine Bott, Christena 
Smith, Elizabeth Kuhns, Eliza Polins, Esther Nicely. 

The first child baptized by Dr. Hacke in Youngs- 
town was Christena Bott. She is now the wife of Jacob 
Brinker, in Latrobe. 

Dr. Hacke seems to have entered immediately into the 
full work of the ministry, including the instruction of 
the young. The records show that on the twelfth day 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



115 



of the following April, 1822, he confirmed nineteen 
persons and administered the communion to a member- 
ship of forty-three. He appears to have prospered in 
his ministry at Youngstown. His pastorate continued 
ten years. He was followed in 1831 by Rev. Adam 
Boyer, who held but one communion, on the 13th of 
November. The congregation appears then to have been 
without a regular pastor for several years. 

Eev. H. E. F. Voigt was the next pastor. He took 
charge of the congregation in the spring of 1833, and 
held his first communion on the 19th of May, when he 
administered the Holy Supper to fifty-three communi- 
cants. His pastorate in Youngstown continued twenty- 
five years. At a communion held on Easter Sunday, 
1859, twenty-eight communicants appeared before the 
altar for the benefit of the holy sacrament — a falling off 
of thirty in less than thirty years. This unfavorable show- 
ing was not the result of any defect in Father Voigt's 
piety, for he was proverbially pious and eminently de- 
vout, as well as an earnest preacher and a workman 
abundant in labors. He however sought to do the 
work of the church in the face of a Providential current. 
The transition from German to English in the commu- 
nity was not recognized. The unknown tongue sheared 
away the locks of his strength among the rising genera- 
tion. The parents failed to see the mistake. Many of 
the young people went over to the Lutheran side, and 
some of the parents followed. The same page in the 
register which records the names of twenty-three com- 
municants for the Reformed side, shows the Lutheran 
record of ninety-five. 

This mistake of the pious fathers was fully detected, 



116 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



and the loss of the church fully realized after there was 
but little material left for the adoption of a wiser policy. 

In 1859, Rev. Christian C. Russell began his labors 
in this field. For a while he labored with Father 
Voigt, but gradually assumed the entire charge of the 
work. Rev. Russell continued until 1863, during which 
time he confirmed fifty-five catechumens. Through his 
efficient ministry the membership was increased to 
eighty-five. 

The Rev. E. D. Shoemaker succeeded Rev. Russell, 
and held his first communion service on the 29th of 
May, 1861. Sixty-three members communed. Rev. 
Shoemaker left a record of usefulness in this field which 
he continued to serve, in connection with other congre- 
gations, for several years. 

Upon the resignation of Rev. Shoemaker, Rev. Rus- 
sell was called the second time to the pastorate, and 
entered upon his work August 1st, 1867. He continued 
to labor with success until a reconstruction of charges 
made it desirable for him to resign, and Rev. J. I. 
S wander, on the first of June, 1870, entered upon the 
pastorate of the Latrobe charge, of which Youngstown 
by reconstruction became a part. Rev. Swander has 
labored with encouraging success until this present 
time. During the first six years of his ministry he con- 
firmed forty-five persons in the Youngstown congrega- 
tion. The membership at this time is eighty-five. The 
consistory is as follows: Elders, George Fritz, Jacob 
Brindle ; Deacons, Joseph Smith, Zachary Fritz, Ben- 
jamin Showers. 

In 1874, the congregation, assisted by friends with- 
out, bought a lot on Main street and built a neat and 



LATE OB E CHARGE. 



117 



substantial frame church edifice. The building com- 
mittee consisted of George Fritz, Jacob Brindle and 
Jacob Smith. On the 16th of May, the corner stone 
was laid with appropriate services, the pastor being 
assisted by the Revs. Townsend and Spargrove of the 
Presbyterian Church. A copy of the New Testament 
and a copy of the Heidelberg Catechism, together with 
a list of the officers and members of the congregation, 
and the periodicals of the Church and county, were de- 
posited in the cavity of the stone. On the 19th oi 
September, the house was dedicated to the worship of 
Almighty God. Rev. Dr. Geo. B. Russell preached an 
appropriate sermon and assisted the pastor in the ser- 
vices and ceremonies of the occasion. EmmanueVs 
Reformed Church is a credit to the congregation, while 
the glory of the second house is greater than that of the 
former, which was a log structure, but a good one for 
the age in which it was built. It had stood for nearly 
sixty years, filled with the pious devotions of the living 
and surrounded with the graves of the dead. 

The congregation has in the last sixteen years re- 
gained in part what had been lost or endangered by 
previous mistakes. It is now the most flourishing con- 
gregation in the borough, and may, by the blessing of 
God, become a power for good in the land. 

The Sunday-school, under the superintendency of 
Elder Fritz, is doing a good work in co-operation with 
the pastor in the building up of Christ's Kingdom. 
The Christian Sunday-school has no other mission. 

3. Pleasant Unity Congregation. — This con- 
gregation had its origin in a movement that sought to 
avoid the same folly and prevent the same calamity 



118 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



which had wrought so disastrously to the Reformed in- 
terests in Ligonier and Youngstown. The action was 
tardy rather than premature. The want of English 
service in St. Paul's church was felt long before an 
effort was made to supply it. Even when made, the 
effort was opposed by obstacles grounded in the purest 
elements of Christian sympathy and attachment. It 
was no fault of Dr. Hacke's that he was strongly at- 
tached to his people here as elsewhere ; neither was it 
a fault in the people that they esteemed their pastor 
very highly in love. Besides, there were other cords 
that held the members together in — what was for many 
of them — a sacred Babel of empty sound. Their sainted 
dead were buried there. For this additional reason 

Ct They loved to linger round 
That spot of consecrated ground, 

That hill and valley blest. 
There where their pious fathers made 
Their vows of love, and wept and prayed, 
There where their ashes rest." 

The following petition, with the names of the male 
signers attached thereto, will explain the origin of St. 
Luke's congregation at Pleasant Unity: — 

November 17th, 1860. 
We, the undersigned members of the St. PauFs congregation, feeling 
ourselves aggrieved by the decision of its consistory, which decision 
was confirmed by a congregational meeting, held on the 13th of 
November, 1860, hereby give notice that we intend to complain to 
the Classis of Westmoreland of the German Keformed Church, of 
said decision, and submit, as the ground of our complaint, that some 
of the members of the consistory did not understand the nature of 
our request, which was for English Services every fourth Sunday. We 
are fully satisfied that what we requested is demanded by the inter- 
ests of religion and the welfare of our Beloved - Zion. And we fur- 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



119 



ther give notice, that if our request is denied, we will ask for per- 
mission to organize a congregation in Pleasant Unity, with a view 
of having it stand in connection with the Mt. Pleasant charge. 



John Helam. 

At a special meeting of Westmoreland Classis, con- 
vened in St. Paul's church in February, 1861, the 
above complaint and petition came before it for conside- 
ration, and Classis, finding it impossible to make ar- 
rangements with St. Paul's congregation to supply this 
want, granted the privilege of organizing a congrega- 
tion at Pleasant Unity. 

Accordingly, after some delay, a congregation was or- 
ganized with about forty members, on the 5th day of June, 
1862. In the organization of the congregation, Adam 
Bair and John Weaver were elected elders, and Dr. Thos. 
H. Brinker, Geo. A. Bair, Henry Gress, and Henry 
Smith, deacons. In the meantime the work of building 
the church edifice was carried on with great zeal and 
holy enthusiasm. Great liberality and perseverance 
manifested themselves in carrying forward this laudable 
enterprise. It was completed in the fall of 1861, and 
on the 1st day of January, 1862, in the appropriate 
dedicatory services conducted by Dr. G. B. Russell, 
Rev. Father Yoigt, and Rev. C. C. Russell, St. Luke's 
church took its place among the many Reformed tem- 
ples erected to the glory of God in the salvation of man. 



ELDERS. 

Adam Bair, 
John Weaver, 
John Welty, 
Geo. Barnhart, 
Dr. Thos. H. Brinker, 
Jacob Huffman, 
Henry Gress, 
Henry Herr, 



DEACONS. 



Geo. Bair, 



Henry Smith, 
Geo. Fisher, 



Jacob Perkins, 
John Fiscus, 
John P. Fiscus, 
Chas. Fiscus, 
John A. Fisher. 



120 



LATH OB E CHARGE. 



During these proceedings at Pleasant Unity, some 
changes took place in the Mt. Pleasant charge, and the 
new congregation was constituted a part of the Latrobe 
charge. The congregational record says : " Rev. C. C. 
Russell was pastor by common consent and appoint- 
ment of Chassis, it being in a certain sense a missionary 
field until 1864." Por reasons originating in other 
parts of the charge, Mr. Russell resigned the pastorate 
May 1st, 1864, to the great regret of the Pleasant 
Unity people. 

Rev. E. D. Shoemaker was soon called to the charge, 
and entered into the duties of the pastorate without 
delay. He continued for three years, when he resigned 
and retired for a while from the active duties of the 
ministry on account of chronic bronchitis. 

In the summer of 1867, the Latrobe congregation 
was, by an act of Classis, detached from the charge. 
The elements of trouble being thus removed, Rev. 
Russell accepted a call the second time to labor among 
the Pleasant Unity people, between whom and himself 
there was a mutual Christian love and confidence. He 
re-entered the field August 1st, 1867. During his se- 
cond pastorate, some very excellent work was done by 
the congregation. They purchased a beautiful piece of 
ground for a cemetery. This was laid off in lots. 
Some of them were sold. Others are still for sale. 
This w r as, and is, a source of small revenue to the con- 
gregation. The apostolic plan of benevolence was 
introduced, and is still successfully operative. The 
Sunday-school which had flourished from the beginning 
co-operated with the congregation in the common work 
of the Church. The proper significance of holy days 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



121 



was brought out to the edification of the people, The 
congregation grew in all the substantial elements of 
Christian strength and beauty. 

Eev. Russell continued to labor at Pleasant Unity until 
Latrobe, by another reconstruction act of Classis, was 
again constituted a part of the charge. This act neces- 
sitated his resignation, which took place in the fall of 
I860, He, however, continued to serve as a supply 
until June 1st, 1870, when his successor took charge of 
the field. Eev. Eussell retired from the work with 
many testimonials of fidelity and usefulness, and the re- 
gret of the entire congregation, consisting of seventy 
communing members. 

In the spring of 1870, Eev. J. I. Swander received 
a call to the Latrobe charge, of which Pleasant Unity 
was a part, and entered upon his work the first Sunday 
in June. He met with a kind reception, and found the 
evidence of substantial work having been done through- 
out the charge. This was especially the case at Plea- 
sant Unity. He has now been pastor of the charge for 
nearly seven years, and regards his ministry at Pleasant 
Unity as forming the happiest chapter in the history of 
his life. The congregation is united in its aim and 
spirit, unassuming in its piety, Churchly in its worship, 
earnest in its work, and prompt in meeting its obliga- 
tions. Like his predecessors, he has been made the 
recipient of many substantial tokens of high regard. 
He lives in the confidence of that people whom he 
serves with mutual affection in the fellowship of the gos- 
pel. It is good to be in the Pleasant Unity pulpit and 
at the altar of the St. Luke's Church. Children and 

parents unite, first in the Sunday-school, and then in 
6 



122 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



the regular services in connection with the preaching 
of the Gospel. Their memorial of prayers and alms go 
up together. There is no carnal rivalry to outdo each 
other in ostentatious pride, but a gentle and continuous 
flow of alms-deeds. Worthy of special mention is the 
donation of a parsonage lot, adjoining the church pro- 
perty, by Elder Geo. Welty. The numerical growth 
of the congregation is encouraging, but not rapid. The 
membership consists of ninety-five communicants and 
about an equal number of baptized children. Joseph 
C. Stouffer is the Sunday-school superintendent. Adam 
Bair, Dr. Thos. H. Brinker, and Geo. A. Bair, are the 
Elders. Geo. Fisher, Michael Fisher, and J. Crissinger, 
are the Deacons. The congregation has sent forth 
two Reformed ministers to preach the everlasting Gos- 
pel, viz.: Rev. T. F. Stouffer and Rev. J. B. Welty. 
The first officers of the congregation are all yet alive 
except Henry Smith, who has been called to the mem- 
bership above. Among the departed are also Geo. 
Barnhart, John Fiscus, John Welty, Henry Herr, 
John Helam, and Chas Fiscus. May the whole con- 
gregation meet at last in heaven ! 

4. Latrobe Congregation. — Latrobe is one of 
the many towns brought into existence through the 
construction of the P. C. R. R. It is located on this 
great line of travel and commerce, forty miles east of 
Pittsburg. As early as 1855 some Reformed families 
moved to this young and promising borough from diffe- 
rent parts of the Church. These, together with some 
members of the Youngstown congregation living in the 
vicinity, began to desire an organization. This desire, 
however, did not, for several years, lead to definite ac- 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



123 



tion. The first movements seem to have been tardy 
and full of hesitation. Through such hesitation, some 
golden opportunities passed unimproved. 

On the 4th of March, 1859, at the request of some 
of the members in the borough, Rev. C. C. Russell 
visited the field and held the first Reformed service in 
the place. The Presbyterian church was secured for 
the occasion, and through the courtesy of that congre- 
gation was tendered for several subsequent services. 
The Associate Reformed church was then rented and 
used for a while. An arrangement was then made for 
the use of the Lutheran church until a new church edi- 
fice could be erected for the more permanent home of 
the congregation. In May of 1859, the project of 
building a new church was earnestly discussed. Be- 
fore the movement was fairly under way, however, it 
w T as, like many other things, blasted by the great frost 
on the memorable morning of June the 5th. The 
crops being cut off, and the people greatly discouraged, 
the building enterprise was postponed. This was af- 
terward seen to have been a mistake. The spring of 
1861 brought on the more distressing calamity of civil 
war. Nothing was therefore done in the way of 
building. 

On the 23d of September, 1860, a petition, signed 
by Elders M. Saxman, Sr., and Geo. Fritz, and Dea- 
cons M. Saxman, Jr., and David Hershey, together 
with a number of other Reformed members, was 
presented to the Westmoreland Classis, asking the 
privilege of organizing a regular Reformed congrega- 
tion in Latrobe. The petition was granted, the organi- 
zation was completed by the authority of Classis, and 



124 



LATROBE CHARGE. 



constituted a part of the Latrobe charge. Rev. Russell 
continued to labor in the new field. In this time the 
congregation lost some of its most active and devoted 
members. Among those worthy of special notice was 
Mr. Joseph Saxman, who departed this life in the 
midst of Christian usefulness. 

On the 1st of May, 1864, Rev. Russell retired from 
the Latrobe charge, and was followed in the pastorate 
by Rev. E. D. Shoemaker, who labored here as elsewhere 
with success, though amidst peculiar discouragements. 

Nothing definite, in the matter of erecting a new 
church, appears to have been done until 1867. In that 
year Rev. Shoemaker resigned the charge, leaving on 
record, in his own hand-writing, the following very 
reasonable conviction : — " No congregation can flourish 
so long as it must depend upon a rented house of wor- 
ship." This, together with his chronic bronchial affec- 
tion, and other reasons, led the good brother to vacate 
the pastorate. 

On the 1st of June, 1867, Rev. H. F. Keener was 
called to the Latrobe congregation, w T hich, by an act of 
Classis, had been detached from the charge and consti- 
tuted a part of a new missionary field. Rev. Keener, 
being a man of great energy, believed in pushing things 
to an issue. The whole weight of his positive charac- 
ter was thrown into the scale in favor of a new church 
edifice, at the earliest possible period. His efforts were 
responded to by the congregation. A lot of ground 
was bought on East Main Street for $500. A building 
committee was appointed. Money was subscribed by 
members of the congregation, citizens of the borough, 
and other friends of the enterprise elsewhere. A con- 



LATROBE CHARGE, 



125 



tract was made with Mr. Benjamin Simpson, who began 
the work in the spring of 1868. The corner-stone was 
laid with appropriate ceremonies and worship. Slowly, 
but surely, the beautiful brick edifice arose to its semi- 
gothic completeness. On the 26th of September, 1869, 
by a solemn and appropriate act of worship, conducted 
by the Pastor, assisted by Rev. G. B. Russell, D. D. 
and others, Christ Reformed Church of Latrobe was 
dedicated to the purpose for which it had been erected. 
It is not a monument of princely ostentation, but a neat 
and substantial Christian temple, well designed and 
wisely located, firm in its foundation, fair in its propor- 
tions, and modestly magnificent in its unpretending 
splendor. The property, including furniture, is worth 
eight thousand dollars. At the time of its dedication, 
there was a balance due the building committee of two 
thousand dollars. This sum has been diminished from 
year to year by the continued contributions of a majority 
of the members, and, it is hoped, will soon be canceled. 

After the erection of the Church, Rev. Keener, being 
a man of peace-loving propensity, and positive energy, 
resigned the field, and sought another for the fuller ex- 
ercise of his noble powers. 

In the fall of 1869, Latrobe was again, by an act of 
Classis, placed back to form, with Pleasant Unity, 
Youngstown and Ligonier, the present Latrobe charge. 
On the following 1st of June, 1870, Rev. J. I. S wan- 
der was called to the pastorate. 

Rev. Swander has now served the congregation for 
nearly seven years. He has reason to be thankful for 
the success which, under God, has crowned his exten- 
sive labors. The membership has gradually increased 



126 



LATE OB E CHARGE. 



until it now numbers one hundred communicants, and 
about an equal number of baptized children, who 
are catechized and confirmed as fast as they attain to 
proper age, and give evidence that the truth has had its 
proper effect upon their hearts. The Consistory is at 
present composed of Sebastian Bair, S. D. Gress, John 
Williard, and Fred. Garver, elders ; and D. J. Saxman, 
John Brindle, Henry Best, and E. H. Fiscus, deacons. 
The Sunday-school, which was organized early in the 
history of the congregation, is not numerically strong, but 
orderly, compact and promising, under the care of elder 
Gress. While a few of the members have a tender 
affection for the contents of their purse, the majority 
are noted for Christian liberality. The spirit of benevo- 
lence is on the increase. Several bequests have been 
made by individual members, who, being dead, yet 
speak. Father Peter Saxman, before departing this 
life, bequeathed one hundred and fifty dollars towards 
the liquidation of the debt incurred in the erection of 
the new church. Sister Mary Mumaw built her monu- 
ment and wrote her epitaph, by bequeathing one hun- 
dred dollars for a Baptismal Font. It was designed by 
the pastor, and the work skilfully executed by the 
firm of "H. Ousler and Sons," marble dealers in La- 
trobe, who also made an additional donation of seventy- 
five dollars to its value. The Font is executed in excel- 
lent Italian marble, and stands to the right of the Altar, 
an article of frequent use, and a gem of great beauty. 

The pastor and people unite with their heart's desire 
and prayer to God that Christ Reformed congregation 
of Latrobe may arise and shine as a center of Christian 
influence. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



Br Rev. JACOB F. SNYDER. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



BY REV. JACOB F. SNYDER. 



I. EMMANUEL REFORMED CONGREGATION, FRANKLIN 
TOWNSHIP, WESTMORELAND CO., PA. 

" We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers 
have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the 
times of old ; How thou didst drive out the heathen 
with thy hand and plantedst them " How when they 
were very few in number, thy right hand saved them 
and got them the victory, because they trusted in thee." 

A preparatory history of some forty years goes before 
the founding and organization of this congregation. 
This, now interesting period, at least to the descendants 
of those early pioneers, has had no historian to gather 
up and preserve the facts for future generations. From 
the lips of God's venerable saints, of fourscore or more 
years, lingering on the borders of time, do we yet 
gather the few facts that enter into the construction of 
this Early History. 

In those early days, the neighborhood where now 
are beautiful farms and comfortable dwellings almost 
thick as the stars in an evening sky, was then a dense 
wilderness and an unbroken forest, save here and there 

6* 129 



130 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



a settler's cabin. In the language of a mother in Israel 
now past fourscore years, "it was a thiekety place." 
The wild and savage Indian yet occasionally roamed 
over these hills and skulked through the valleys. 
Within sight of the church are some of the localities 
where his vengeance fell, carrying some into a terrible 
captivity, dispatching others with the tomahawk and 
scalping knife. The graves of both Indians and whites 
who fell by each other's hands, are still pointed out to 
this day within sight of the church. 

Notwithstanding the perils and dangers of those early 
times, our brave and hardy ancestors did not forget God, 
nor the " assembling of themselves together." To 
Brush-creek, three-fourths of a score of miles distant, 
often on foot, bearing their babes and little children in 
their arms, they repaired to worship the triune God. 
Here that holy man of God, and that veteran pioneer 
minister of the Reformed Church in western Pennsyl- 
vania, the Rev. John Wm. Weber, baptized these babes 
into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 
Here too, after much instruction, many exhortations, 
prayers, and tears, he laid holy hands upon their youth 
in the solemn rite of confirmation. Within half a mile 
of the present Emmanuel Church stands the ancient log 
dwelling now tenantless, and fast going into decay, 
where three-fourths of a century ago, Rev. Father Weber 
occasionally preached the glad tidings of salvation. 
Fathers and mothers now past seventy years were bap- 
tized in this venerable house, handed down from former 
days. The present generation see no beauty or attrac- 
tion in its decaying walls, but to the few remaining 
veterans of the cross hallowed recollections and associa- 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



131 



tions cluster there, and a sacred glory gilds the spot. 
But the prophets of God do not live forever, and the 
Rev. Father Weber, after serving well and faithfully 
his day, and living to a good old age, fell asleep in 
Jesus, July, 1816. 

REV. WM. WEINEl/s PASTORATE. 

The exact date of Rev. WeinePs entrance upon the 
labors of this field cannot be ascertained. The minis- 
ters and people of those days were not so particular as 
regards dates, records, "Lahbabier" as we of this fast 
age. As near as we can tell it was about the vear 1817. 
Of a strong, robust constitution, plain in his habits and 
apparel, and somewhat unpolished in his address, he 
was the man sent by God to break up the fallow ground, 
and prepare it for yielding rich and glorious spiritual 
harvests. His labors soon resulted in an organized 
congregation, perhaps about the year 1820. His tem- 
ple was the plain houses and barns of his flock. In 
the year 1828, in connection with Lutheran brethren, 
a union church was built and dedicated unto the wor- 
ship of the triune God. We have no account of these 
dedicatory services. The ground was donated by Mr. 
Philip Drum and Peter Hill, both members of the Re- 
formed Church. The former was an old revolutionary 
soldier, and lived until he was ninety-six years of age. 
The house was of hewed logs, about twenty-eight by 
twenty-six feet. The members hewed the logs on their 
own farms, and hauled them to the location. When 
they had a sufficient number, they called in the help of 
their neighbors and erected the church — the females 
having met together also on the ground, did the cooking. 



132 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



The principal and almost the only men who took part 
in this enterprise were Philip Drum, John Kemerer, 
Jacob Cline, Michael Cline, John Cline, Peter Hill, and 
John Lauffer, Reformed, and George Hobaugh, Lu- 
theran. The church was seated by placing rough 
boards upon trussels. There was no heavy church 
debt hanging over this temple after it was completed, 
as is the case with many modern ones. The people 
were poor, and had nothing to give, therefore the 
church cost nothing but their time, timber, and labor, 
and these they cheerfully gave unto God. Dear and 
sacred unto many a pious heart was that plain old log 
church. Earnest and devout was the worship of many 
a saint that ascended unto God from those homely pews. 
Beautiful for situation, and the joy of many a child of 
Gocl, was this Mount Zion. 

The congregation grew and prospered, and finally the 
church became too small. Accordingly, in the year 
1845, it was enlarged by sawing out the eastern end, 
and adding a frame of fourteen feet to its length. The 
w T hole building was at the same time w T eatherboarded, 
and a pulpit of the wine-glass style constructed. Some 
other improvements were made, adding much to the 
comfort and appearance of the church. 

Rev. Weinel continued his labors until 1853. The 
last communion dates September 25th, 1852, at which 
there were seventy- three communicants. Old age and 
bodily infirmities drew on apace. For several years he 
had not been able to serve this congregation during the 
winter season, on account of the distance from his resi- 
dence. With faltering voice, and feeble trembling steps, 
he bade farewell to this heritage of God in which he 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



133 



had labored for more than thirty years. During his 
pastorate, according to the church record, he confirmed 
eighty-nine persons, and baptized three hundred and 
thirty-two. 

REV. DR. HACKE'S PASTORATE. 

On the 12th of June, 1853, this eminent and faithful 
servant of the Lord began his labors in the Emmanuel 
congregation. Service was held once every four weeks, 
and half the time in English. Hitherto it had always 
been in the German language. Dr. Hacke had no 
stipulated salary, but the amount received averaged 
about eighty-five dollars per year. His labors were 
blessed, and the matter of building a new church was 
earnestly discussed. Accordingly, in the year 1856, a 
building committee, consisting of John Rubright and 
Peter Hill, Reformed, and John Stark and George 
Hobaugh, Lutheran, was appointed. September 12th, 
of the same year, an article of agreement was entered 
into between the aforesaid committee and the contractor, 
John W. Kuhns, to erect the church. Material, brick, 
size 65 by 44 feet, height 20 feet to the square ; oval 
ceiling. Plan, Gothic. Cost, $2,700. On Easter 
Sunday, April, 1858, this church was solemnly dedi- 
cated as a union church to the worship of the triune 
God. The Reformed ministers present on that bright and 
beautiful day were Dr. Hacke and Rev. R. P. Thomas. 
The latter preached a sermon in the English language. 
At the time the articles of agreement were entered into, 
the contractor was bound to have the building com- 
pleted by the first day of November, 1857. But this 
being the "wet summer" it was impossible to have the 



134 



EMMANUEL CHARGE, 



brick made, as was intended, in the early part of the 
season. Hence the work was delayed. On the day of 
dedication it was found that the debt was all cancelled, 
except a trifling sum which was assumed by the mem- 
bers. This church is not only beautiful for situation, 
but is also by far the finest and best country church in 
the township, and is a standing monument to the taste, 
zeal and energy of Dr. Hacke, who according to the 
records was the sole pastor there during the time the 
church was in process of building. Many who walk 
round about the Emmanuel of to-day, and mark her 
stately appearance, enter her sacred, beautiful, and 
comfortable courts, think not of the humble appearance 
and the homely pews of the Emmanuel of thirty years 
ago. 

Dr. Hacke continued his pastorate faithfully and suc- 
cessfully until June 16th, 1867, when his resignation 
went into effect, the congregation having been de- 
tached from his charge (1st Greensburg) and annexed to 
the Salem charge. 

During his pastorate of fourteen years he added fifty- 
eight to the confirmed, and one hundred and ninety-five 
to the baptized membership. 

rev. J. f. snyder's pastorate. 

A shepherd was now provided for this people, to break 
unto them the bread of life, and carry forward the king- 
dom of God, by the great Head of the Church. He was 
not a man of strange language nor of strange appearance, 
but familiar and known to them from his infancy and 
childhood. With some of the youth of his day, he 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



135 



took sweet counsel and walked to this house of God 
in company. Here too for a season he went to the 
German Sunday school, and sat with some as a pupil 
in the class, who have since become pillars in the 
church. ■ Near the church he also labored for a time 
as a teacher in the public school. A thousand tender 
recollections cluster round these memories of former 
days. 

He entered upon his labors, April 1st, 1867, the con- 
gregation obligating itself to pay $166§, the one-third 
of his salary. Services were had every two weeks, in 
the English language. The first thing done was to 
have some back-standing dues of his worthy and es- 
teemed predecessor cancelled. These had accumulated 
by the indifference on the part of some of the deacons 
in failing to collect the amounts subscribed. The first 
year of his labor was marked by improving and beau- 
tifying the church. Its walls were papered, ceiling 
painted, floor carpeted, pulpit and pulpit pew cushioned, 
and slat blinds procured for the windows. The work of 
beautifying and adorning the church, "God's acre/' 
and all the surroundings, has gone forward, and has 
been continued down to the present time. The vacant 
ground that formerly lay in front of the church, and 
was used for "a hitching ground," with the grave yard 
and church, has all been enclosed with a neat substan- 
tial fence, costing $350. By this arrangement a yard 
of one-fourth of an acre which cannot be excelled in 
natural beauty, lies in front of the church. Some two 
hundred evergreen and ornamental trees of ten different 
varieties, are now growing in this yard and " Gods 
acre." A large organ has been purchased by the con- 



136 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



gregation.* Some of the members have gone forward 
and erected sheds on the lot north of the church, for 
the comfort of their horses during summer's heat and 
winter's cold. We hail this, and all these other improve- 
ments, as an evidence of true piety, for it is said, " The 
righteous man is merciful to his beast." True piety 
and indifference to the Church, internally or externally, 
can never go together. 

January 1, 1873, the action of Westmoreland Classis, 
constituting the Emmanuel and Olive congregations one 
charge, known as Emmanuel, went into effect. All the 
facts relating to this point, are given in the history of 
Trinity congregation. Rev. J. F. Snyder, having re- 
ceived the second call, entered upon the pastorate of this 
new yet old field, at a salary of $600, and the keeping 
of his horse. In this sum was also included the rent of 
house, $69. Of this amount the Emmanuel congrega- 
tion paid $330, in cash, besides furnishing provender 
for horse. The salary has since been raised to $740. 

Last, but not least, the joint consistory, January 15th, 
1876, resolved to build a parsonage, erect a stable, and 
all other necessary buildings. Mr. Peter Pifer, a most 
noble and worthy member, donated a lot of one acre for 
this purpose. He and Mr. Daniel Cline built almost 
the entire wall, completed with but little assistance the 
carpenter work, and did the plastering without the re- 
muneration of a single cent. This building is not only 
beautiful in appearance, but is also beautifully located, 
a few score of yards distant from the venerable old 

* Although a union church, the Reformed people did almost 
everything in the way of repairs. The fence was built and paid for 
except $30, by Reformed members. Shrubbery, Organ and rest 
likewise. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



137 



dwelling already described. It is a T house, size 36 
by 16 feet; kitchen, 14 by 16 feet. This enterprise 
called forth the interest of the faithful members, and 
they showed their zeal and faith by their works, put 
forth in furnishing free labor, and also material for the 
construction of this house for the use of the prophets of 
the Lord. However much we would desire to mention 
names, our space forbids us ; yet we cannot refrain to 
place on record the name of Mr. John Kemerer, Sr., 
who, although now past eighty years, helped to do 
hauling, and put down the well. When a young man, 
he helped to dig the foundation of the parsonage in 
which Dr. Hacke has dwelt, lo, these many years. He 
was one of the pillars in the first and second building of 
u Emmanuel," and like Caleb, he is still always ready 
to labor for the cause of God. God is honored by his 
offspring in the way of piety and earnest, devoted and 
faithful members of the Church, even down to the fourth 
generation. With such pillars in thy midst, thy light 
must shine, and thy glory must be spread abroad, O 
Emmanuel. 

April 1, 1877, will complete ten years of the present 
pastorate. They have been ten years of busy, active, 
hard labor in this vineyard of God. The additions to 
the congregation during this time, have been one hun- 
dred and forty-eight to the communicant, and one hun- 
dred and forty-six to the baptized membership. Cate- 
chizing is carried on from one year to another, regularly 
as the preaching of the word. The Sunday-school is 
large and interesting. The festival days of the Church 
Year, according to the good old custom of the 
u Fathers/' are not only duly but joyfully observed. 



138 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



II. Olive Reformed Congregation, Franklin 
Township, Westmoreland County, Pa. — When 
we are called upon to furnish a history of this congre- 
gation, especially the early part, it is like the Israelites 
in Egypt being required to make brick without straw. 
One of the necessary materials entering into the con- 
struction of the brick was withheld. To supply this 
deficiency we are told that the people were scattered 
abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather 
stubble instead of straw. On account of the meager 
facts furnished by the records, we have been scattered 
abroad all over the land of Olive, gathering the indis- 
pensably necessary material that must enter into the 
construction of the history of this congregation. 

During the closing part of the last and the beginning 
of the present century, families of the Reformed faith 
from the eastern counties of Pennsylvania and Mary- 
land settled in this neighborhood, which then was an 
unbroken wilderness, infested by wild and savage 
beasts of prey, and occasionally overrun by the still more 
savage Red man. The nearest place of worship for 
these Reformed people was Brush-creek, almost a score 
of miles distant. To this temple of the living God the 
fathers and the mothers journeyed, often on foot, and 
there they worshiped God and dedicated their children 
unto Him in holy baptism. Thither also the young 
people of those days went to catechizing, and were in- 
structed in the duties and doctrines of our holy religion. 
Strong and hardy were these our ancestors of former 
days. Occasionally that veteran pioneer, Rev. Father 
Weber, would visit them and preach in their midst. 
In later years, when the Manor church was built, they 
worshiped there. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



139 



REV. WM, WEINEL'S PASTORATE. 

In the year 1815, Rev. Weinel began to labor regu- 
larly in the vicinity of the place where Olive church is 
now located. The services were first held in houses 
and barns. A congregation was organized, but the date 
is not known ; but it was no doubt soon after he began 
his labors at this point. The question of building a 
church arose. Two locations were presented, about two 
miles apart : one with three acres of ground, offered by 
Mr. Hankey, for a Lutheran and Reformed church ; the 
other, an acre and three-fourths, offered by Mr. Beemer, 
for a Reformed and Lutheran church, and also a school- 
house. Neither of these points could be unanimously 
settled upon, a part of both Lutherans and Reformed 
holding to the one location, and a part of both adher- 
ing to the other. The consequence was that two union 
church buildings, both of hewed logs, were erected on 
these locations at the same time. The exact date of 
their erection is not known, perhaps about the year 
1817. Rev. Father Weinel and the Rev. Francis 
Laird, of the Presbyterian Church, were present at the 
laying of the corner-stone at the Beemer location. This 
church was known as the " Beemer Church." Whether 
any Reformed minister was present at the laying of 
the corner stone and dedication of the "Hankey 
Church/' as the other was called, we are unable to 
state. There is no record of the dedicatory services. 
The first record of baptism, performed by Rev. Weinel, 
is June 16, 1816. The first record of communion dates 
May 24th, 1817. The number of members who com- 
muned was fourteen. At the same time seventeen per- 



140 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



sons were confirmed, making the whole number of 
communicants thirty-one. Rev. Weinel had at this 
time no doubt eight or nine congregations, as the com- 
munion was only held once a year, and sometimes only 
once every two years. He labored here according to 
the Church record up to 1837. The last communion 
dates October 21st, 1837. The last baptism, performed 
October 22d. The names of thirty persons are re- 
corded at this communion. The highest number of 
communicants recorded at any one communion season 
is forty. eight. The Church record only gives the 
names of those he confirmed, but undoubtedly others 
were received by certificate or renewal of profession, as 
we find the names of persons among the communicants 
who were not among the original members, and were 
not confirmed by him. Fifty-eight persons were con- 
firmed by him and one hundred and seventy baptized 
during his pastorate of twenty-one years. Among the 
latter, however, we have learned were the names of 
children of a neighboring congregation which Rev. 
Weinel served. His resignation doubtless took place 
about the close of the year 1837, As far as we can 
learn he did not labor at the Hankey church. 

REV. H. E. F. VOIGT'S PASTORATE. 

After the resignation of the Beemer congregation by 
Rev. Weinel, there seems to have been a vacancy of 
about one year, when that mild and child-like servant 
of the Lord, the Rev. H. E. F. Voigt, was called to the 
pastorate of the congregation. From what we can learn, 
Father Voigt, as well as Weinel, had no fixed salary. 
They cheerfully and contentedly received what their 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



141 



people were disposed to give them. Father Voigt also 
preached regularly at Hankey's, no doubt on the same 
day, as these two congregations were only two miles 
apart. We are sorry that we have not access to the 
Records of this church, as we could then give the re- 
sults of Father Voigt's labors there. The first baptism 
performed by Rev. "Voigt dates August 14th, 1839. 
The first communion recorded, is April 26th, 1840, at 
which time sixteen persons communed. Two commu- 
nions were held regularly every year. The highest 
number of communicants at any one time was thirty- 
eight, but then at Hankey's, only two miles distant, 
there were as many if not more members. This ac- 
counts therefore for the apparent diminishing in numbers. 
As the same minister preached at both these points, the 
members living nearest to Hankey's church transferred 
their membership there. Father Voigt continued to 
serve these congregations for a period of about sixteen 
years, when on account of old age he was compelled to 
lay down the shepherd's crook, as far as they were con- 
cerned. We, when a boy, saw this venerable man of 
God journeying on foot to these congregations, a dis- 
tance of twenty -five miles from his residence. 

The last communion that he held in the Beemer 
church dates October 22d, 1854, at which there w T ere 
sixteen communicants. His resignation, no doubt, took 
place at the close of this year. The additions to the 
congregation, according to the Church Record, which is 
very imperfect, during his pastorate, are nineteen con- 
firmations and forty-eight baptisms. When Father 
Voigt entered upon the pastorate of this field, he served 
eleven congregations. 



142 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



rev. r. p. tho^xas' pastorate. 

At the annual meeting of Westmoreland Classis, held 
at Somerset, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, October 
5th, 1858, Rev. R. P. Thomas was appointed a supply 
for the Hanhey congregation. (The Beemer church had 
become so dilapidated and out of repair, that it was 
utterly unfit for holding service.) Accordingly he com- 
menced preaching to them in November of the same 
year. The congregation was found to be very small, 
having been almost entirely absorbed by the Lutheran 
Church, in consequence of having no minister of their 
own for a number of years. They had but little hopes 
that anything could be done by them, and gave poor 
encouragement for preaching, Yet, through the deter- 
mination of the minister, (who offered to preach without 
any stipulated salary,) and a few of the members, an 
effort was made, having preaching every eight weeks 
from May, 1859. The corner-stone of a new union 
church was laid at Hankey's, which now took the name 
of Christ's church, May, 1859. Rev. Thomas contin- 
ued his labors here until he resigned the Salem charge, 
April 1st, 1863. The communicant membership then 
numbered twenty-two, six having been added to it by 
confirmation during his pastorate. There were also 
fourteen additions to the baptized membership. Rev. 
Thomas had a constitution adopted at a regular meet- 
ing of the congregation, held September 3d, 1859. 

The previous history of the congregation for forty 
years, or more, is almost entirely without record — the 
old Church Book giving nothing but statistics, such as 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



143 



names of communicants, baptisms, etc., which is much 
to be regretted. 

REV. T. F. STAUFFER's PASTORATE. 

After Rev. R. P. Thomas' resignation, this field was 
again vacant for almost five years. At the annual meet- 
ing of Westmoreland Classis, October, 1867, the "Bee- 
mer-Hankey Interest " was brought to the notice of 
Classis, and the following resolution was passed : 

" Resolved, That Rev. T. F. Stauffer be directed to 
preach at the Hankey church, to gather our people 
together, to organize a congregation there, and to con- 
tinue stated supply until otherwise ordered by Classis." 

During the year 1868, Rev. T. F. Stauffer com- 
menced preaching at the house of Mr. John Reeger, 
near Hankey's church, for the few members that were 
left to the Reformed congregation at Hankey's — the 
church having been refused them by the Lutheran 
brethren. After some time had elapsed, a committee of 
Westmoreland Classis visited the Lutheran congrega- 
tion, with a view of securing the rights of the Reformed 
congregation, which was accomplished. The Lutheran 
brethren claimed the sum of $63.25, as the amount due 
from the Reformed people as equal owners with the 
Lutherans in the church property. This amount was 
paid by the Reformed congregation, and a receipt in full 
was obtained. Regular services w r ere held from August 
30th, 1868, onward. This date being that of the first 
appointment in Hankey's or Christ's church, the Luth- 
eran congregation having opened the church agree- 
ably to the settlement made by the officers of said con- 
gregation, and the committee of Westmoreland Classis. 



144 EMMANUEL CHARGE. 

At the annual meeting of Westmoreland Classis, the 
following year, the "Hankey-Beemer interests" were 
united, and Rev. T. F. StaufFer and Rev. J. F. Snyder 
were constituted a committee of supply to cultivate 
the field. Rev. Stauffer continued preaching regularly 
in Hankey ? s church, and Rev. Snyder, when the wea- 
ther would permit, in the Beemer church, the roof being 
partially off ; at other times, at a school-house in the 
vicinity, — these points being two miles nearer for him 
than the Hankey church. The field was cultivated in 
this way until July 2d, 1870, when those desirous of 
being organized into a congregation, met in the Hankey 
church for the purpose of a re-organization. After divine 
service, an election was held for officers, which resulted 
as follows : Elders, George Smith and Henry Remaley; 
Deacons, Michael Miller and John Beemer. The fol- 
lowing persons entered into the organization : — 

George Smith, Henry Remaley, Michael Beemer, 
Michael Miller, John Beemer, John Reeger, William 
Ridenour, Jacob Smith, Phebe Reeger, Catharine Rid- 
enour, Max Miller, Leah Beemer, Catharine Beemer, 
Catharine Remaley, 14 * 

At the same time it was unanimously decided to build 
a new church at Beemer's, on a lot of ground given that 
day by Mr. Michael Beemer, lying alongside the old 
Beemer church property, to be an exclusively Reformed 
church. The building committee consisted of George 
Smith, Henry Re'maley, Michael Miller, John Beemer 
and Michael Beemer. 

* Nine of these persons were members of the Emmanuel congre- 
gation, but had removed nearer to Beemer's than the Emmanuel 
church and were encouraged by their pastor to go into the organization. 



EMMANUEL CHARGE, 



145 



Preparations for erecting the new temple were at once 
begun, but on account of the fact that the lumber could 
not be secured, the building was postponed to the fol- 
lowing spring. April 18th, 1871, the laying of the 
corner-stone took place. Rev. T. J. Barkley, of Pitts- 
burgh, preached the sermon. Rev. T. F. Stauffer laid 
the corner-stone, and Rev. J. F. Snyder made an appeal 
for aid in behalf of the church. The church was here- 
after to be known by the name of Olive Reformed 
Church. June 30th, 1871, the new church was solemnly 
dedicated to the worship of the Triune God, Rev. 
J. I. Swander, of Latrobe, preaching the dedicatory 
sermon, Rev. T. F. Stauffer conducting the liturgical 
services, and Revs. J. F. Snyder and G. M. Spargrove, 
of the Presbyterian Church, delivered addresses in be- 
half of the liquidation of the debt. The debt was all 
cancelled, except about $400, which was assumed by 
the congregation. The building is fifty-four feet in 
length, thirty-five in breadth and eighteen feet in 
height. Frame, original cost $2,100. At the annual 
meeting of Westmoreland Classis, in October of this 
same year, this congregation was connected with the St. 
James' charge. Rev. Stauffer continued to labor regu- 
larly here, up to the close of the year 1872. The addi- 
tions to the communicant membership were thirty- 
seven ; to the baptized, fourteen. Some of these mem- 
bers were transferred to the Emmanuel congregation. 

rev. J. f. snyder's pastorate. 
When the Salem charge was .divided, June, 1872, 
this congregation was detached from the St. James' 
charge, and annexed to the Emmanuel congregation, 
7 



146 



EMMANUEL CHARGE. 



thereby making a new charge known as Emmanuel. It 
had passed through a checkered history and a fearfully 
trying ordeal, but God had greatly blessed the earnest, 
persevering efforts of Rev. Stauffer, and it had grown to 
a consciousness of its power. Hence, when it united 
with Emmanuel in a call, it obligated itself for $250 
per year. Rev. J. F. Snyder began his labors January 
1st, 1873, and still continues to preach regularly at this 
point. Her hedges are no longer broken down, so that 
all that pass by that way do pluck her. She is no 
longer being laid waste, or destroyed. God has looked 
down from heaven, and in pity beheld this vine which 
His right hand hath planted. The hills are being covered 
with her shadow, and her boughs are like the goodly 
cedars. She is sending out her boughs unto the sea, and 
her branches unto the river. 

The additions to the congregation up to the present 
time are, thirty-one to the communicant, and nine to 
the baptized membership. The Sunday-school is flour- 
ishing, and a good catechetical class is receiving regular 
instruction. 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



By Rev. JOHN Mo CONN ELL. 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE, 



BY REV. JOHN McCONNELL. 



This Charge is at present composed of two congrega- 
tions. 

I. ST. JAMES' REFORMED CHURCH. 

This brief sketch proposes to give the history of this 
congregation from 1797 to January 1st, 1877 ; being a 
period of eighty years. 

OLD GRAVE- YARD. 

Some three-fourths of a mile north of Helena, Bell 
township, Westmoreland county, Pa., on the brow of a 
precipitous bluff, between two and three hundred feet 
above the stream of the beautiful Kiskiminitas river, 
and but a short distance below the once-famous Indian 
village of Old Town, surrounded on all sides by heavy 
growth of timber, there is a grave-yard of one-half acre, 
well inclosed with post and board fence, where repose 
the remains of from fifty to one hundred souls. 

This land, together with some more, remaining unin- 
closed, was donated by Simon Hine for the purpose of 
a Lutheran and German Reformed church and burial- 
ground. 

OLD- OLD LOG CHURCH. 

Here, to the south, and outside of the enclosure, was 
begun the building of a church. The timbers had been 

149 



150 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



dressed and drawn to the place ; the day appointed for 
the raising of the log house ; the members were on the 
ground, from far and near ; one or two courses of logs 
put on their foundation — just ready to put in place the 
joists for the floor ; when came the question : To whom 
shall the house and ground be deeded f and until that 
was decided not another hand to build was lifted, and 
when decided, the issue remained the same. There, the 
few logs placed upon pillars of stone, remained un- 
touched, as well as the large heaps lying all around ; 
and there they are to-day, a decayed and decaying mo- 
nument of human infirmity and folly. 

The precise date cannot now be ascertained. It was 
not earlier than 1797, nor later than 1805. The day 
when the raising of the building was commenced, most 
likely, was in 1803. The grave-yard was opened a few 
years sooner. 

OLD LOG CHURCH. 

Some years after this failure, Christopher Yockey, 
of the Reformed Church, gave a lot of ground, about 
three miles south-west of the Meribah — the place of 
strife — described above, the site of the present brick 
church. 

The (old, or first) union congregational constitution 
bears date March 9th, 1815. The lot of ground was 
surveyed October 10th, 1815. And the deed for the 
land is dated December 5th, 1815. 

Now it were natural to infer that the church was 
built, not before, but during or subsequent to, the year 
1815. But the facts are wholly against this supposition. 
Most likely it was erected in 1808, and positively no 
later than 1812. Doubtless, the ground was marked 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



151 



out and the church built, but not surveyed and deeded 
until the year A. D. 1815. 

PASTORS OF THIS PERIOD. 

The Rev. John William Weber was the first Re- 
formed minister. He came about the time the church 
was built, say, 1808, in no wise later than 1812; and 
ceased laboring here some time about 1814 or 1816. I 
am almost certain that his last confirmation and com- 
munion services were held not sooner than 1814, and 
but little, if any, later than 1816. 

The Rev. William Weinel began to preach some- 
where between 1814 and 1818; more likely about from 
1816 to 1818. He was still here in the year 1838. 
He had once stopped preaching for some time, and then 
began again, but whether that occurred before or after 
1838, I cannot determine. I find no traces of him later 
than 1838, as pastor — though it is said he was present 
at the dedication of the new church. 

THE NEW CHURCH. 

The contract for the building of the present brick 
church, for the sum of two thousand and two hundred 
dollars, was executed on the 9th day of April, 1838, 
between Jacob Smeltzer and John Ringle, Lutheran, 
and John Whitesell, Reformed, together with others of 
both congregations; and Mathew Callen and John Paul, 
builders. 

PASTORATES. 

The Rev. Henry Knepper preached here about two 
years, residing at Kittannirig, preaching, also, at Butler. 
He was yet here on March 13th, 1846, but likely left 
in a few months after this date. 



152 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



The Rev. D. B. Ernst visited the congregation some. 
But these visits must have been very few, if none were 
made between the time of Mr. WeinePs leaving and 
the coming of Mr. Knepper. Rev. Ernst was here on 
the 7th day of October, 1847. 

The Rev. H. E, F. Voigt preached here, I know 
not at what intervals of time, nor how long. It may 
have been during the time between the pastorates of 
Revs. Weinel and Knepper. 

The Rev. Samuel H. Giesy commenced his labors 
on Sunday, November 19th, 1848. Preached to a full 
house from St. Matthew v, 16. Dr. Giesy writes that 
" the people were greatly disheartened/' yet, " found an 
earnest remnant still left." He served this congrega- 
tion, in connection with three others, until July, 1855, 
a period of six years and seven months. 

The Rev. Thomas G. Apple began his pastorate on 
January 1st, 1856, and continued until April 1st, 1857 
— one year and three months ; at which time the Salem 
and this congregation were separated from Greensburg 
and Irwin, and constituted a charge. 

The Rev. Dr. Apple's successor was the Rev. Rich- 
ard P. Thomas. His ministry began April, 1858, and 
ended April 1st, 1863. 

Rev. T. J. Barkley immediately succeeded him, and 
resigned January 1st, 1867. 

As there is no record previous to Rev. Stauffer's pas- 
torate, the results of the labors of all the foregoing 
pastors cannot now be known. Records had been kept, 
but after the new book was opened by Mr. Stauffer, the 
old were carelessly left to be destroyed — an irreparable 
loss of valuable historical facts. 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



153 



The Rev. T. F. Stauffer's pastorate was served from 
May, 1867, to September, 1871. 

There were on the roll, at this time, one hundred 
and thirty-two members, of which number sixty-two 
communed on May 5th, 1867. Added: By confirma- 
tion, six ; by letter and renewal of profession, thirteen ; 
baptized, forty-nine. On October 30th, 1870, the whole 
number of members was one-hundred and twenty-four, 
of which, fifty-nine communed. 

At this time the congregation fell into confusion and 
strife, starting in a proposition to separate from the 
Lutherans — some favoring the project; others opposing 
it ; which led to the pastor's resignation, who preached 
his closing sermon, May 14th, 1871. A strife, which 
is not in the least surprising, when viewed in the light 
of the very small proportionate number of communi- 
cants, and which, instead of becoming less, has been 
increasing, until there is but little hope left of a resusci- 
tation under the former order, in the old home. 

The Rev. J. B. Welty preached his trial sermon on 
August 18th, 1872, and was elected pastor, and or- 
dained and installed September 18th, 1872. He held 
his last communion, August 31st, 1873, and his resig- 
nation took effect September 16th, 1873. Length of 
pastorate, one year. 

So far as the record shows, he added none. Bap- 
tized eight children. 

The Rev. John McConnell commenced June 2d, 
1874. Is still in the charge. Baptized twenty; con- 
firmed seven ; added one on certificate. 



7* 



154 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



II. zion's VALLEY REFORMED CONGREGATION. 
ORIGIN. 

The causes which led to the formation of this congre- 
gation were a desire for a new church and more English 
services. About a mile north of South Bend, Armstrong 
county, Pa., there is an old union church, the joint 
property of Reformed and Lutheran congregations. The 
Reformed proposed and urged the building of a new 
church. The Lutherans objected. Then it was pro- 
posed to separate from the Lutherans and build an 
exclusively Reformed church. This was agreed to by 
all. But, being unable to unite upon a locality for the 
new church, the entire project failed. Thereupon the 
few members who for some years past saw the necessity 
for more frequent English services, overtured the Classis 
to be erected into an exclusively English congregation. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The Classis having granted the request, directed the 
St. Jacob's Consistory to dismiss said petitioners, — 
twenty in number, viz.: — Isaac Keener, Jacob A. 
George, Mary George, Absalom Klingensmith, Rosanah 
Klingensmith, Catharine King, Wm. G. King, Eliza- 
beth King, Martha King, Sarah King, Silas King, 
Rebecca King, Daniel King, Catharine A. King, Leon 
King, Jane King, Hiram King, Sarah King, Anna A. 
Adair, Elizabeth Gray, who were constituted an English 
Reformed congregation, under the name, Zion's Valley, 
by the Rev. J. G. Shoemaker, commissioner of Clarion 
Classis, on the 20th day of June, A. D., 1868, in 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



155 



Wherry's School-house, about two miles west of South 
Bend. Absalom Klingensmith and William G. King, 
were chosen, ordained and installed Elders, and Jacob 
A. George, Deacon. 

LOCATION. 

The place at first selected, as the home of this new 
enterprise, being regarded as in too close proximity to 
the mother church, another locality was sought. After 
much labor and many trials and disappointments, the 
congregation, finally, centered upon and secured one 
acre of land adjoining the school-house, in what is known 
as " Barrel Valley," and situated four miles west of 
South Bend, a short distance south of the road leading 
to Apollo. 

PROGRESS. 

Sunday-school. — With the beginning of the con- 
gregation was also started its Sunday-school. It is kept 
open throughout the year. Winter and cold ; snow or 
mud; has not, thus far, succeeded in closing the school. 
Yet, must it be admitted, that, many of the members 
do not assist and aid in advancing its interests as could 
be desired. During the year of 1876, the School had 
sixty-eight scholars and six teachers. 

Pastors. — From the date of organization, the con- . 
gregation remained without a pastor until November, 
1869, having no other services except that of the Sab- 
bath-school, held regularly in the school-house adjoining 
its lot of ground, and one or two sermons, preached by 
Mr. J. F. Wiant, a theological student. Hence, there 
was no growth during the first seventeen months of 
its existence. 



158 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



At the time of the last date, Rev. T. F. Stauffer, 
pastor of St. James' charge, Westmoreland county, Pa., 
became the regular supply, and continued such until 
Monday, August 28th, 1871, on which day he 
preached his farewell discourse. During this pastorate, 
the membership was doubled, save one. There were 
seven infant baptisms, and a church was built. 

The church was dedicated on Sunday, August 27th, 
1871, the day preceding the one on which Rev. Stauffer's 
work ceased. There were present at the dedication 
Revs. T. F. Stauffer, (supply), F. Wise, J. F. Wiant, 
and James Grant. Mr. Wiant preached the sermon. 

In the general plan of the building, whilst a heavy 
cost was avoided, the aim was neatness, good taste, con- 
venience and churchliness. The house is frame, with 
basement, 35 by 45 feet, and pulpit-recess, the lecture- 
room is 24 by 35 feet, and a vestibule to each story, 
with stairs on both sides, both below and above, lead- 
ing from upper vestibule to End Gallery. Three rows 
of pews, with side aisles, chancel-railing, two reading- 
desks, altar and pulpit, all neatly arranged and taste- 
fully furnished. Total cost, $2,747.85. 

The Rev. James Grant became the pastor on August 
28th, 1871, and withdrew on July 1st, 1873. Added 
ten to the list of communicants, and baptized seven 
children. 

Rev. H. W. Hoffmeier was elected to the pastoral 
office, October 12th, 1873 ; commenced his labors No- 
vember 1st, and was regularly installed on the 28th of 
the same month. Added three members ; baptized two, 
and resigned in the spring of 1874. Length of pasto- 
rate, about six months. 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



157 



In view of the fact that the congregation was unable 
to sustain a pastor alone, and the way, apparently, not 
open to attach it to one of the two adjacent charges it 
passed, by the request of Clarion Classis, under the 
jurisdiction of Westmoreland Classis, at its annual 
meeting in June, 1874, and was attached to the St. 
James' charge, composed, at the time, of St. James' and 
Pine Run congregations, and under the pastoral care of 
Rev. John McConnell. But on account of the distance 
between Zion's Valley and St. James' churches, it being 
twelve miles by w T ay of Salina, which must be traveled 
on foot when the river cannot be forded, (which is the 
case for about eight months in the year), or by way 
of Saltsburg, a distance of some fifteen miles, it was not 
possible to preach at both points on the same day. 
Therefore Zion's Valley remained without any services 
until November 25th, 1874, when Rev. John McConnell 
relinquished his labors at the Pine Run congregation, 
with the consent of the Classis, and commenced preach- 
ing at Zion's Valley. 

At the meeting of Westmoreland Classis, June 18th, 
1875, the St. James' congregation of Westmoreland 
county, and the Zion's Valley of Armstrong county, 
were constituted a pastoral charge, and Rev. John 
McConnell was regularly installed pastor in the St. 
James' church, July 6th, 1875, who has continued in 
the pastorate up to this date, January 1st, 1877. 

At the commencement of the present pastorate the 
number of members had been reduced, by dismissions, 
death and otherwise, to forty-two. The additions have 
been thirty-three, making the total number of commu- 
nicant members, at this date, seventy-five. Infant bap- 



158 



ST. JAMES' CHARGE. 



tisms, nine. The number of baptized members are 
thirty-seven. 

There is abundance of room here for the building up 
of a vigorous, and at no distant day, self-sustaining con- 
gregation. The members are, most of them, active, 
liberal, and ardently devoted to the Church of their 
choice. 

" The Lord bless thee and keep thee: the Lord make 
His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee : 
the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give 
thee peace." 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSBDRG. 



By Rev. JOHN W. LOVE. 



THE SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF 
GREENSBURG, PA. 



BY REV JOHN W. LOVE. 

The Second Reformed charge of Greensburg, Pa., 
is at present composed of three congregations : one at 
Greensburg, one at Seaner's, (near New Stanton,) and 
one at New Stanton. The history of the charge will 
appear in the brief outline, we shall now give of the 
history of each of the congregations separately, 

| I. THE SECOND REFORMED CONGREGATION OF 
GREENSBURG, PA. 

The Reformed Church was established in Greensburg 
as early as A. D., 1776. For more than fifty years, or 
until the close of the first half of the present century, 
the preaching and service were conducted in the German 
language. Feeling the necessity for English service, 
especially for the benefit of their children, and of the 
young people of Reformed parentage, a number of the 
members of the First Reformed congregation peti- 
tioned the Synod of Ohio, at a meeting held in 
Greensburg, A. D., 1844, to grant the organization 
of an English congregation, to be known as the Second 

161 



162 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN SB URG. PA. 



Reformed congregation of Greensburg. The request 
was allowed, and Rev. S. N. Callender, of the Theologi- 
cal Seminary, at Mercersburg, Pa., was invited to be- 
come the pastor in the spring of 1845. He came with 
a view of accepting the call, but after being a short 
time upon the ground, he seems to have concluded that 
the step was premature, and therefore he declined to 
remain. Though much discouraged, those active in the 
movement kept up an English prayer-meeting, which 
was the most of English service it seemed practicable to 
secure for the next five years. 

Another effort was made in 1848 to obtain the ser- 
vices of an English pastor. A public meeting was 
called at the house of Simon Cort, at which Daniel 
Kiehl, Esq., presided, and Reuben Shrum acted as 
secretary. After due deliberation, it was resolved: 

u 1st, That in the opinion of this meeting it is ne- 
cessary and right that there should be English preaching 
in Greensburg, in connection with the German Reformed 
Church. 

u 2d, That a committee of six be appointed to procure 
signatures to a petition to Classis, for an English 
Reformed minister to supply the English portion of this 
congregation." 

At a regular congregational meeting of the First 
Reformed congregation, held in January, 1849, permis- 
sion was granted the English members to establish a 
Second Reformed congregation, Classis having previ- 
ously approved of the movement, as the Ohio Synod 
had done nearly five years before. About this same 
time, Rev. Samuel H. Giesy, who, a few months before, 
had accepted a call to the St. James' Reformed congre- 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN SB UR G, PA. 163 

gation, near Salina, this county, also consented to visit 
and labor in Greensburg, with a view to gather and 
organize a Reformed congregation. His labor w T as 
abundantly successful. The organization was effected 
September 30th, 1849, the following persons entering 
into it, namely : Daniel Kiehl, Margaret Kiehl, Anna 
Maria Kiehl, Leonard Kunkle, Simon Cort, William 
J. Wells, Jacob Reamer, Jr., Reuben Shrum, Matilda 
Shrum, John Kiehl, Sophia Kiehl, David J. Wells, 
Christianna Wells, William Cort, Eli Kiehl, Maria 
Kiehl, Lucian Cort, Rebecca Wible, and Samuel Kelly 
— twenty in all. 

The first communion was held two months later, No- 
vember 25th, and the occasion is said to have been one 
of deep interest. Rev. William Conrad, of Berlin, 
Somerset county, Pa., assisted the pastor. 

At a congregational meeting held February 5th, 
1851, it was unanimously decided to build the present 
church edifice. It was completed late in the fall 
of the same year, and dedicated to the service of 
God, January 16th, 1852. Rev. S. H. Reid, then of 
Waterstreet, Huntingdon county, Pa., assisted the pastor 
at the dedicatory service. This brick church building, 
though it has about served its day, is a monument of 
the liberality and self-denial of the little congregation 
at that time. The building committee consisted of 
John Barnhart, (who with his family had by this time 
united with the congregation), Daniel Kiehl, Esq., and 
David J. Wells. "It is but an act of justice due to 
Daniel Kiehl, Esq., here to say, that he spent most of 
his time, during the erection of the church, in assisting 
by his own labor and personal attention the progress of 



164 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN SB UR G, PA. 

the work." Dr. Giesy writes: "Those were days of 
earnest work and strong faith on the people's part, and 
on the part of their youthful and inexperienced pastor. 
And yet I look back with deepest gratitude to God on 
the labors and their large results, in that first field of 
my ministry. God be praised for what He enabled me 
to do for the Church." The congregational record 
gives a list of names of contributors to the building 
fund. The subscription is headed by Daniel Kiehl 
with $400, followed by John Barnhart with $325, 
Simon Cort, $330; John Kiehl, $120; Jos. Cort, $80, 
and so on down to $5, according to the means and 
liberality of those composing the membership. For 
those days these were large subscriptions. None of the 
members were then really wealthy, and some of them 
made great personal sacrifices to give what they did. 
Those belonging to other Churches, and to no Church, 
also lent a helping hand in the good work. We find 
the names of Hon. Joseph H. Kuhns, Gen. H. D. 
Foster, Hon. Edgar Cowan, Henry Welty, Esq., and 
about fifty others, with sums varying from $50 down 
to $5, set opposite to them. This shows the good-will 
of the community toward the enterprise of building this 
temple of worship, and is a pleasing feature of its history. 

Rev. Giesy resigned the charge to accept a call to 
Hagerstown, Md:, and his resignation went into effect 
the last of July, 1855, he having served the people in 
connection with congregations at Irwin, Salem, and 
St. James' or Yockey's, for over six years. It was with 
much regret that the charge consented to the separa- 
tion, and a handsome testimonial was given him by the 
people as a mark of their appreciation of his services. 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN SB URG, PA. 165 

The charge was now vacant for five months, when, 
January 1st, 1856, Rev. T. G. Apple, then of Easton, 
Pa., now Professor in the Theological Seminary, Lan- 
caster, Pa., having been duly called, entered upon the 
duties of the pastorate. He only remained in the 
charge one year and three months, leaving April 1st, 
1857, to accept of a call to congregations in, and around 
Mechanicsburg, Pa. Through his efforts, at the close 
of his ministry, the charge was divided into two, the 
Greensburg and Irwin congregations being now consti- 
tuted the second Greensburg charge. This was of it- 
self a great good accomplished, and worth his short set- 
tlement here. But in other respects his labor was also 
blessed. The members still living remember him with 
much affection. 

Dr. Apple was succeeded in May of the same year 
(1857) by Rev. L. H. Kefauver, of Fairfield, Adams 
county, Pa., located at present in Tiffin, Ohio. His 
pastorate continued three years and nine months, the 
charge prospering much under his administration. He 
also supplied with English preaching, the Kindigh's 
and Swope's congregations of the Mt. Pleasant charge, 
and the Seaner congregation, near New Stanton. He 
was greatly beloved as a faithful pastor, and a genial, 
warm-hearted, good man. 

After his resignation went into effect, the charge was 
vacant one year and three months. During this time 
the congregations very naturally went backward. With 
only occasional service by supply, many of the members 
became scattered, and lost their interest in the Church. 
At length, April 1st, 1862, Rev. H. W. Super became 
pastor. By action of Classis, the St. Paul's congrega- 



166 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSBURG, FA 

tion, at Seaner church, was added to the Greensburg 
and Irwin congregations, thus constituting the three, 
one charge. Rev. Super earnestly set to work to gather 
together again the members to the Lord's house, and 
have them fulfill their covenant obligations. He could 
find but fifty confirmed members at Greensburg, forty 
at Irwin, and thirty at Seaner's* Some had died, 
others had moved away, and still others had gone to 
other Churches, or wandered from their Father's house 
into the foreign lands of the world and of sin, and re- 
fused to return. 

He continued in the charge, doing what he could to 
build it up, and acceptably serving the people until 
April, 1865, a period of three years, when, on account 
of ill-health, he was obliged to resign. His ministry 
was served during the severest period of the war, when 
the country was in a very unsettled state. Some of 
the active members volunteered or were drafted into the 
army. A number died upon the battle-field. All the 
Churches, and the interests connected with them suf- 
fered during that period. But notwithstanding these 
unfavorable conditions, there was some progress made, 
though not as much as would have resulted under more 
favorable auspices. 

Rev. Super is at this time a professor at Ursinus Col- 
lege, and a teacher in the theological department of the 
same institution, at Collegeville, Montgomery county, 
Pa. He has also, like two of his predecessors in this 
charge, (Drs. Apple and Giesy,) been honored with 
the title— Doctor of Divinity, and both as a minister 
and professor has rendered valuable service to the Re- 
formed Church and the public in general. 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSB UR G, PA. 167 

The charge was again without a pastor for a period 
of nine months. 

In January, 1866, Rev. Geo. H. Johnston became 
supply. In June following he accepted a call from the 
charge, and was installed pastor. Under his active pas- 
toral labor, and acceptable pulpit ministrations, the 
charge was greatly revived. The membership w r as 
considerably increased, the Sunday-school was reorgan- 
ized and flourished. Everything promised well for the 
future, when the Classis elected him missionary super- 
intendent, the fall of the same year. He felt con- 
strained to accept the appointment, and hence resigned 
the charge, to take effect January 1st, 1867, having 
served it as supply, and then pastor, just one year. 
The people with great reluctance and regret acquiesced 
in this decision. 

Rev. T. J. Barkley, being called, entered the charge 
at the time Rev. Johnston left, and hence there was no 
vacancy. His pastorate extended to May 1st, 1870, a 
period of three years and four months, when he accepted 
a call to Grace Reformed Church, Pittsburg, Pa., where 
he is still pastor. Of his labors in this field he writes : 
u The charge made considerable of advancement in the 
w T ay of self-consciousness, or realization of its strength. 
The two congregations, (Greensburg and Irwin, Sear 
ner's having been detached,) raised my salary to $1000. 
The amount contributed to benevolence was larger than 
at any former period ; and when I resigned the charge 
felt itself able to support two pastors." There was also 
a respectable number of additions, and a healthy growth 
in churchliness during his pastorate. He is held in 
high esteem by all those to whom he has ministered in 



168 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSBURG, PA. 

holy things for his many good qualities of head and 
heart. 

Rev. John W. Love became the next, and is the pre- 
sent pastor. His pastorate began November 17th, 1870, 
six months after Rev. Barkley resigned. When he en- 
tered the charge he found ninety-two confirmed mem- 
bers in the Greensburg congregation, and forty-two in 
the Seaner congregation, which was now again made 
part of the charge, (Irwin being stricken off to form a 
separate charge). The number of confirmed members 
has increased in Greensburg congregation to one hun- 
dred and sixty-six. Fifty one were received by certifi- 
cate, and seventy by confirmation, while forty-seven 
were lost by death, removal, and otherwise, leaving a 
clear gain of seventy-four, during six years' pastorate. 
The Sunday-school has also about doubled its numbers, 
and is in a flourishing state. It contributes from $40 
to $50 a year to benevolence. The charge supports its 
pastor liberally, meets its current expenses, has pro- 
vided a comfortable brick parsonage, built in the sum- 
mer of 1871, and gives, by basket collections, about 
$200 per year to benevolence. It seems to be at pre- 
sent in a healthy and prosperous condition, and has 
bright prospects for future growth and usefulness. 

The Greensburg congregation has furnished for the 
ranks of the active ministry three efficient and successful 
pastors — Rev. Cyrus Cort, Rev. Henry F. Keener, and 
Rev. Henry D. Darbaker — -all of whom were confirmed 
here. Another one of its founders, Rev. Professor Lu- 
cian Cort, is laboring here in the cause of Christian 
female education, and thus also conferring benefits upon 
the Church and upon society at large. Others in the 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN SB U R G, PA. 169 

various avocations of life, have gone out from this, to 
other congregations, and to other parts of the world, 
carrying with them the savor and influence of the good 
they received here. Only the day of eternity can reveal 
the good that has been done through the instrumentality 
of this congregation. Many have been transferred 
from the Church on earth to the Church in heaven. 
" Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord ; they rest 
from their labors, and their works do follow them." 
May those still living, H follow their faith, that they 
may enter at death into their joy; and so abide with 
them in rest and peace, till both they and we shall reach 
our common consummation of redemption and bliss in 
the glorious resurrection of the last day." Amen. 

ii. the st. paul's, commonly known as the seaner 

REFORMED CONGREGATION, IN HEMPFIELD TOWN- 
SHIP, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA. 

It cannot now be ascertained when the St. Paul's 
congregation w r as organized, nor who were the original 
founders of it. Rev. John William Weber came to 
Westmoreland county in June, 1783, as a missionary in 
Western Pennsylvania. The territory now occupied 
by this congregation was then included in his field of 
labor. He died in July, 1816, and at some time during 
his pastorate — most likely about the beginning of this 
century — he established this congregation. It is cer- 
tainly older than the Muelleisen, or Milliron congrega- 
tion which was organized about the year 1812 or '13. 
The article of agreement, by which the Muelleisen 
church property was conveyed for church purposes, 
8 

1 



170 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSB URG, PA. 

bears date, March 6th, 1813. This (tradition says) was 
bough t, and a church built on it by Pastor Weber, from 
funds collected in his charge, for the exclusive use of 
the u Reformed Presbyterian congregation," (meaning 
the German Reformed people), because of some disagree- 
ment between himself and the elder Rev. Steck, then 
pastor of the Lutheran congregation at Seaner's, Har- 
rold's, Greensburg, &o. Be this as it may, those who 
remember back to the year 1816 say, there was a log 
church, rudely built and furnished, on the present site 
of the Seaner church, before pastor Weber's death in 
July, 1816; which church was owned jointly, by the 
Lutherans and the Reformed. It was not finished, 
however, until in the same year (1816) Rev. William 
Weinel became the pastor. Rev. Weinel was a school- 
master and organist in Northampton county, Pa., and 
studied theology under both the older and younger Dr. 
Becker — the former of Baltimore, the latter of North- 
ampton county. 

Rev. Weber's charge, having become larger than he 
could well serve, being scattered over the whole of 
Western Pennsylvania, he, (no doubt at the suggestion 
of some of his members, who came from Northampton 
county,) sent first for Rev. Habliston, and then for Rev. 
Weinel to assist him. The latter came in 1816, and at 
once became pastor of the Seaner, in connection with a 
number of other congregations of the Reformed Church. 
The first three years of his ministry he w T as only a licen- 
tiate, though he seems to have exercised all the func- 
tions of an ordained minister. His education was 
limited, but he was regarded a good preacher in his 
day, and was moderately successful. His pastorate of 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSBURG, PA. 171 

the Seaner congregation extended to about the year 
1828 or 29, at which time he resigned, and moved to the 
northern part of this (Westmoreland) county. 

After his resignation the St. Paul's or Seaner con- 
gregation was attached to the First Greensburg charge, 
and served by Rev. N. P. Hacke, for about four years. 

Rev. Dr. Hacke was succeeded, at his own request, by 
Rev. H. E. P. Yoigt, in the year 1832, — the same year 
that he came from the father-land. Having a number of 
other congregations in connection with this, and there- 
fore not able to give any of them much pastoral care, 
being a foreign German, and many of the young grow- 
ing up partly English, he was not successful in adding 
largely to the membership. As there was then thought 
to be but little difference between the Reformed and 
Lutherans, a large number of the young, of Reformed 
parentage, united with the Lutheran congregation. Thus 
it happened that though the Reformed was the stronger 
congregation in 1832, the Lutheran congregation, by 
getting Reformed material, soon became the larger. 
Quite a number of the best Lutheran families and mem- 
bers at Seaner's are of Reformed parentage. Father 
Voigt, was, however, a most earnest, zealous and labo- 
rious pastor. No man ever had a warmer heart, or was 
willing to endure greater self-denial in the work of his 
Master. He could repeat much of the Bible from 
memory, and a large part of his preaching was in quo- 
tations from the word of God, which, in passing, he 
briefly explained. He scarcely ever preached, espe- 
cially in his older days, that he was not affected to tears 
by the precious truth he was expounding to others. He 
continued the regular pastor up to January, 1862, or 



172 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSB URG, PA. 



for thirty years. Five years previous (1857), Rev. L. 
H. Kefauver, (then pastor of the Second Greensburg 
charge), was appointed by Classis to supply the congre- 
gation with English preaching. English service met 
with strong opposition, and virtually created a split in 
the congregation. It was a long time before the ill- 
feeling caused by the split died out, and this was also 
one of the causes operating against the immediate pros- 
perity of the congregation. Rev. Kefauver continued 
English supply until the fall of 1861, when Classis at- 
tached the congregation to the Second Greensburg 
charge. 

From the following spring, Father Voigt preached 
only as German supply every eight weeks, or less fre- 
quently, for five years longer, when, through the infir- 
mities of age, he was obliged to quit preaching, and his 
ministerial labors here ceased. 

Rev. H. W. Super, becoming pastor of the Second 
Greensburg charge in April, 1862, served the Seaner 
congregation also for three years. 

The Rev. George H. Johnston became Rev. Super's 
successor, seven months after his retirement, or in 
January, 1866, for one year. After this, the congrega- 
tion was served by Rev. T. J. Barkley for about nine 
months. It was then attached to the Mt. Pleasant 
charge, and served by Rev. J. H. Sykes for one year. 

In the fall of 18P8, Rev. N. P. Hacke, D. D., was 
appointed by Classis as German supply, and Rev. T. J. 
Barkley as English supply. This arrangement only con- 
tinued for one year, when Rev. L. B. Leasure became 
supply for one year. At the end of this time, the con- 
gregation was for the second time attached to the Second 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSBURG, PA. 173 

Greensburg charge, and since the middle of November, 
1870, has been under the pastoral care of Rev. John 
W. Love, its present pastor. The wonder is that any 
congregation could survive so many changes of pastor. 
That it did only proves the intense love of that people 
to the Reformed Church. 

The officers of the congregation, so far as known, 
were, in olden times, William Beck, Tobias Long, Adam 
Truxel, Samuel Pool, George Howk, Lewis Long, 
George Albright, Jacob Fox, Peter Miller, Abraham 
Long, and John Kaughman. Among those still living 
who served as elders or deacons, are John Truxel, (now 
of Greensburg), Jacob Meckling, Frederick Long, John 
Hartzel, John R. Kingdigh, Isaac Fox, John Sell, Levi 
Fox, Harrison H. Painter, David Kaughman, Jacob 
Sell, Davis Truxel, Jonas Miller — (the two last named 
now of Pleasant Unity). 

A good brick church was built in 1837, and this was 
replaced by the present brick edifice in 1875, both 
owned jointly by Lutherans and Reformed. 

During the present pastorate the congregation has in- 
creased, in six years, from forty-two to sixty-two here, and 
thirty-four at Stanton, or ninety-six confirmed members, 
including the branch congregation at New Stanton (one 
and a half miles distant).* There is about the same 
number of baptized members. The future of the con- 
gregation looks encouraging. May the Lord abun- 
dantly prosper it. Amen. 

* Recently eleven members have moved out of the bounds, but 
have not as yet been dismissed, leaving the number eighty-five. 



174 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSB UR G, PA. 



III. TRINITY REFORMED CHURCH OF NEW STANTON, 
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA. 

About the year 1872, a few Reformed people, and 
others, living in New Stanton, requested Rev. John 
W. Love, the Reformed pastor at Seaner's and Greens- 
burg, to preach once a month at that place. He con- 
sented to do so, and accordingly every four weeks he 
preached in the afternoon, or at night, in the old Union 
church during summer, and in the school-house during 
winter. The old church becoming so dilapidated as to 
be entirely unfit to hold service in, the subject of build- 
ing a new one began to be agitated. As union churches 
are frequently sources of disunion, it was not thought 
best to build a union church. After revolving the 
matter a year or two, and ascertaining the mind of many 
in the community, it was decided to build a Reformed 
church, but to allow any of the other denominations in 
the vicinity the privilege of using it in proportion to the 
amount they would contribute towards building it. A 
subscription was circulated, and about $1,000 pledged 
towards the enterprise. Elder John Sell then agreed 
to assume the financial responsibility of carrying for- 
ward the work. The corner-stone was laid, June 12th, 
1875. Rev. W. W. Moorhead, of the Presbyterian 
Church of Greensburg, Pa., preached the sermon, and 
Rev. John W. Love conducted the other services. 

During the summer a neat Gothic frame church was 
built, furnished, and a bell placed in the steeple. It was 
dedicated Sunday, Nov. 14th, 1875. The service con- 
nected with the dedication, began on Saturday, previous. 
Rev. W. C. B. Shullenberger, of Scottdale, preached in 



SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREEN'S!) UR G, PA. 175 

the afternoon, and Rev. D. B. Lady, of Mt. Pleasant, 
in the evening of that clay. Rev. A. E. Truxel, of 
Somerset, preached the dedicatory sermon, and Rev. J. 
W. Love, pastor, performed the act of consecration. 
Rev. L. B. Leasure, and Rev. Prof. L. Cort were also 
present, and took part in the service. Rev. Leasure 
preached in the evening. 

Four weeks later (Dec. 12th), a congregation was 
properly organized, as a branch of the St. Paul's Re- 
formed congregation at Seaner's. The following per- 
sons entered into the organization, namely: John Sell, 
Melissa Sell, Tobias Long, L. Gumbert, B. Gumbert, 
I. V. Huff, Nancy Huff, Sarah Lowe, Jacob Cochen- 
hour, Hettie Cochenhour, Rachel Brandt, Lidie Brandt, 
Samuel Pool, Harriet Pool, James F. Stanton, Kate 
Stanton, John H. King, S. M. Powel, Maggie Powel, 
Urias Mathias, Maggie Mathias, H. H. Byers, Nancy 
Byers, and D. G. Smith. All these, excepting Mr. John 
and Melissa Sell and Mrs. Kate Stanton, were received 
on application, or certificate, from other churches, and 
by confirmation, most of them being heads of families. 

At a communion held the following June, twelve 
more additions were made by confirmation to this con- 
gregation, making thirty-five in all. There have also 
been up to this time, (Dec. 1876), thirty-three children 
received by baptism. Thus where one year ago the 
Reformed Church had but three members, there are now 
sixty-nine confirmed and baptized members. 

It is due to elder John Sell to say that, to his liber- 
ality and influence, is owing largely the establishment 
of this congregation. He furnished nearly one-half the 
means for, and devoted much time and labor to the 



176 SECOND REFORMED CHARGE OF GREENSB UR G, PA. 



erection of the church. He was also instrumental in 
bringing in a large proportion of the membership. 

A Sunday-school, numbering about fifty-scholars and 
teachers, is held regularly, the year round, in the 
church, though there are also two other schools held in 
the village. 

It is believed that this congregation will continue to 
grow, and be a means of great usefulness in the com- 
munity. May the Lord's blessing be with it. Amen. 



SALEM CHARGE. 



By Rev. JACOB F. SNYDER. 



SALEM CHARGE. 



BY REV. JACOB F. SNYDER. 



I. TRINITY REFORMED CONGREGATION*, SALEM, WEST- 
MORELAND COUNTY, PA. 

In the word of God it is said of David, the King of 
Israel, and the man after God's own heart, that he spake 
to Nathan the prophet, saying, " Lo, I dwell in an 
house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord 
remaineth under curtains." Nathan replied, " Do all 
that is in thine heart, for God is with thee." The same 
night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 
" Go and tell David my servant, thus saith the Lord, 
Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in. Whereas 
it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, 
thou didst well that it was in thine heart. Nevertheless 
thou shalt not build the house, but thy son shall build 
it, and I will establish his kingdom forever." 

So was it as regards the origin of this church and 
congregation. A number of members of the Reformed 
Church, who lived in and around Salem, and who wor- 
shiped at the Manor church, four miles south-west from 
Salem, or at St. James', nine miles north, had long felt 
the necessity of a Reformed Church in the village of 

179 



180 



SALEM CHARGE. 



Salem. For years it was in their heart to build an 
house unto the Lord. They took counsel of God, 
spake earnestly, and prayed fervently over this matter. 
Some of the fathers and the pioneers in this enterprise 
were in the meantime like David called to their reward 
in heaven, but like him they had prepared abundantly 
if not in temporal, at least in spiritual material, for 
erecting a temple to the worship of the Triune God. 

It was left for the children whom God had given 
them, and who had risen up in the room of their 
fathers to carry forward and complete this noble work. 
Accordingly in the year 1849, without a pastor, 
priest, or prophet to lead and guide them, they resolved, 
in the fear of God, to build an house unto His name. 
In connection with the members of the Lutheran 
Church, who were also without a temple in the village, 
the work was begun. The blessing of the Lord rested 
upon the labor and toil of their hands, and in the 
summer of 1850, before a Reformed congregation was 
organized, this temple, as a union church, was solemnly 
dedicated to the worship of the Triune God. The Re- 
formed ministers present on that solemn and joyful 
occasion were, Revs. N. P. Hacke, D.D., S. H. Giesy, 
and Wm, Weinel. The latter preached a sermon in the 
German language from Eccl. v. 1 : " Keep thy foot 
when thou goest into the house of God/' 

November 25th, 1850, those desirous of being organ- 
ized into a Reformed congregation, met in the newly 
erected temple. George Lose was appointed president 
and Sebastian Bear, secretary. The following persons 
were then elected officers of the Church : Philip Ho- 
baugh and Michael Fennel, Elders ; Valentine Bossard 



SALEM CHARGE. 



181 



and Sebastian Bear, Deacons. The religious exercises 
of the occasion were conducted by the Rev. N. P. 
Hacke, D.D., and Rev. S. H. Giesy. The latter or- 
ganized the congregation, and the former ordained and 
installed the officers. The Rev. S. H. Giesy preached 
the sermon from Ecclesiastes ix. 10. 

The following persons handed in their names as mem- 
bers of the congregation : 



Philip Hobaugh, 
Elizabeth Hobaugh, 
Valentine Bossard, 
Sarah Bossard, 
Sebastian Bear, 
Michael Fennel, 
Henry H. Bear, 
Elizabeth Bear, 
Sarah Row, 
Elizabeth Hugus, 
Henry Hugus, 
Sarah Hugus, 
Sarah Zimmerman, 
George Kline, 
Hannah Kline, 



Simon Hugus, 
Lydia Hugus, 
George Lose, 
Catharine Lose, 
John M. Fennel, 
Isaac Hugus, 
"William Martz, 
Mary Martz, 
David Wolff, 
John Snyder, 
Elizabeth Snyder, 
John Waugaman, 
Susanna Waugaman, 
Rebecca Klingensmith, 
Margaret Snyder. — 30. 



At a meeting of the members of the congregation on 
the same day, the Rev. S. H. Giesy, who had but re- 
cently come into Westmoreland Classis, and was then 
laboring at St. James' and Greensburg, was unani- 
mously elected pastor of the congregation. The Trinity 
congregation, in connection with St. James' 2d Greens- 
burg, and Irwin, constituted the pastoral charge of Rev. 
Giesy, and was known as the Greensburg English 
charge. Rev. Giesy continued pastor of this congrega- 
tion up to August 1st, 1855, a period of almost five 
years. During this time thirty-six members were added 
to the communicant membership by confirmation and 
certificate, and thirty infants to the baptized member- 



182 



SALEM CHARGE. 



ship. God having called away by the hand of death 
the worthy, earnest, and faithful wife of Rev. Giesy, 
leaving to his care two small children, who were finally 
taken charge of by their grandmother, living in or near 
Hagerstown, Md., he felt it to be his duty to accept a 
call from the Reformed congregation in that city, that 
he might be with his children. His resignation took 
effect August 1st, 1855. 

REV. THOMAS G. APPLE'S PASTORATE. 

For about four months Trinity congregation was vacant, 
and there was no one to go in and out before the people 
and break unto them the bread of life. Rev. Apple in 
the mean time received a call from the charge. Great 
was the joy when it was known that this worthy, able, 
good, and devoted servant of God had accepted their call. 
Greater still was their joy when they were permitted to sit 
under his ministrations. The congregation seemed to re- 
alize thatthey enjoyed peculiar privileges and were highly 
favored in having for their pastor such a talented and 
gifted man. His audiences w r ere always large, and his 
fame as a preacher soon spread abroad throughout the 
community. The congregation felt that God had sent 
them a man of mighty power and vast abilities, and 
hearty thanksgiving and gratitude went up from many 
a heart unto God. 

It causes us much grief and sorrow, however, that 
the Church Book has no record of Rev. Apple's 
labors.* Even the names of the communicants are not 

*In a letter to the writer of this sketch, Dr. Apple says : " I kept 
no private record of my labors in Salem's congregation — whatever 
statistics there are must be in the Church Book. I only remember 
Salem's as a pleasant and active congregation. The attendance 



SALEM CHARGE. 



183 



recorded. Perhaps the secretary of the congregation 
was absent at this time and no one else appointed in 
his place. We know, however, that Dr. Apple in- 
structed and confirmed a class of catechumens, and that 
the congregation grew rapidly in numbers and also in 
grace. As an instructor and catechist he was not ex- 
celled. His catechetical lectures lodged in our heart 
twenty years ago, are still fresh and warm as when they 
first fell from his lips, and have cheered and comforted 
us in many a weary hour. In that class of catechumens 
sat a young man whose heart from his earliest recollec- 
tion was drawn towards the gospel ministry. A world 
of opposition and difficulties in the way of the necessary 
means, and other causes, surrounded him. He never 
unburdened his heavy heart to any one. Doubt, un- 
certainty, and anxiety were his companions day by day. 
Rev. Apple's lectures soon removed the darkness and 
made the skies bright. " You have been redeemed not 
with gold and silver but with the precious blood of 
Christ, and therefore are God's property. Young men, 
it is your solemn and bounden duty, if God calls you to 
enter the ministry, to obey this call." The nail was 
driven in a sure place. The problem was solved. The 
solemn vow was made. Eight years after this, that same 

was always good and the members active. The Sunday-school, ac- 
cording to my recollection, was active and efficient, but I did not 
have much opportunity to be in it, as I was so much engaged in 
reaching my points of preaching. My ministry in Salem was very 
pleasant and efficient. That congregation was always prompt in at- 
tending to all their duties, paying salary, contributing to benevolent 
objects, punctual and regular in attending worship, and kind and 
warm-hearted toward their pastor. I have no doubt they remain 
so still." 



184 



SALEM CHARGE. 



young man graduated at the Theological Seminary at 
Mercersburg and had the pleasure of greeting his spirit; 
ual father, Dr. Apple, as on of the Board of Visitors. 

Rev. Apple labored in this congregation and charge 
one year and three months. His labors were of the 
severest kind. He generally preached three times a 
day, and when the roads were bad he would not have 
time for a meal between his morning and afternoon ap- 
pointments. Every alternate Lord's day he traveled 
eighteen miles over the roughest roads and preached 
three times. He finally came to the conclusion that no 
one could well endure the labors of the charge as then 
constituted, and moved for a division of the charge, and 
at the same time resigned. Classis, February 14th, 
1857, dissolved the pastoral relation and divided the 
charge. Greensburg and Irwin to form one and Salem 
and St. James* the other. His resignation took effect 
April 1st, 1857. 

PASTORATE OF REV. R. P. THOMAS. 

After the removal of Rev. Apple, Trinity congregation 
was shepberdless, and without the regular means of grace 
for one year. Many of the members were discouraged, 
and questioned the wisdom of Classis in dividing the 
charge. God, however, is not only a hearer but also 
an answerer of prayer, and He finally sent them a man 
in the person of Rev. R. P. Thomas. 

At congregational meetings held on the 28th day of 
March, 1858, in each of the congregations of the newly 
constituted Salem charge, Rev. R. P. Thomas was una- 
nimously elected pastor. " A t a joint consistorial meet- 
ing, April 10th, 1858, of the officers of the (Salem) 



SALEM CHARGE. 



185 



Trinity and St. James' congregation (composing the 
Salem charge) in accordance with the unanimous vote 
and expressed wishes of said congregations, a regular 
call was duly made out to the Rev. R. P. Thomas, the 
pastor elect, who being present accepted of the same 
April 10th, 1858". His labors having already com- 
menced, his salary for the year dated from April 1, 1858, 
the amount obligated being $450, in connection w r ith 
the payment of all traveling and moving expenses in- 
curred in coming into the charge/' 

A new impetus was now given the congregation by 
the residence of a regular pastor in their midst. This 
is seen by the order and system that characterize the 
Church record, and all matters pertaining to the inter- 
est of the congregation and Sunday-school. In a list 
of the members entered in the Church record October 
6th, 1858, by Rev. Thomas, we find the number of 
communicants to be eighty-nine, eleven of these having 
been received since the beginning of his pastorate. The 
charge now consisting of only two congregations gave 
time and opportunity to the newly-elected pastor to de- 
vote considerable time to pastoral visitation, gathering 
in souls from the highways and hedges, and looking 
after destitute points. Rev. Thomas was not slow in 
embracing such opportunities. For this work God sent 
the proper man at the proper time. Accordingly, Janu- 
ary 1st, 1859, at a congregational meeting held in the 
Salem congregation, permission was given without a 
dissenting voice, to the pastor, Rev. R. P. Thomas, to 
preach at the Concord School-house in the afternoon of 
every Lord's day that he preached in Salem. This 
point was about seven miles north-east of Salem. His 



186 



SALEM CHARGE. 



labors here soon resulted in an organized congregation 
and church, known as the FenneVs church. Many of 
the members of the Trinity congregation in Salem lived 
in the immediate vicinity of the place where Fennel's 
church now stands. 

At a regular congregational meeting held April 9th, 
1859, permission was granted the members living in 
the neighborhood of the Concord school-house to organ- 
ize themselves into a separate congregation, "Provided 
sufficient means can be secured, or that the way be clear 
for the building of a church." This division it was 
stated would take off about forty members from the 
Salem congregation. The matter was thoroughly dis- 
cussed. Yet the move was deemed expedient and ad- 
visable in view of the much greater gain than loss to 
be secured, not only in convenience for- those who lived 
at too great a distance from the Salem church, but also 
in membership. It is added, " May the Lord bless the 
enterprise." The salary was proportioned as follows : 
Salem, $150 ; Concord School-house, $175, for the cur- 
rent vear. 

The statistical report for the year ending April 1st, 
1859, is as follows : 



Whole number communicant members, Salem 94 

" u baptized children, about 75 

Number of baptisms 9 

Number of confirmations 14 

Number received by certificate 6 

Number of deaths 0 



Sermons preached, one hundred and two; miles trav- 
eled, eleven hundred. Amount contributed for benevo- 
lent purposes, $70, $30 of which was from Ladies' Sew- 
ing Society of Salem congregation. 



SALEM CHARGE. 187 

On Sunday, April 5th, 1862, the pastor, Eev. R. P. 
Thomas, read the following report, embracing four 
years : 

Number of congregations in the charge 4 

Supply (Hankey's) 1 

Number of baptisms in the charge 101 

Number of baptisms in Salem congregation 28 

Number of confirmations in the charge 73 

Number of confirmations in Salem congregation 28 

Number received by certificate and confession 15 

Number of sermons preached 421 

Number of miles traveled 5159 

Number of marriages 18 

Number of funerals in charge 5 

Number of funerals out of charge 7 

Number of sermons missed from sickness 2 

Number of communions yearly 14 



R. P. THOMAS, Pastor. 
After the new church was built at Fennel's, some 
fifty members were transferred to it, leaving only fifty- 
one remaining in the Trinity congregation, Salem. 
Rev. Thomas also organized a congregation and built a 
church at Pine Run, and preached occasionally at 
Hankey's. He continued his labors in the Salem charge 
up to April 1st, 1863, a period of five years. Trinity 
congregation at that time numbered sixty-three mem- 
bers. These were five years of active, efficient, hard 
labor. The charge had doubled not only in members 
but also in temples. Failing health induced our 
brother to seek a smaller field. 

EEV. T. J. BARKLEY ? S PASTORATE. 

We are glad that we are permitted to record that no 
vacancy occurred after Rev. Thomas' resignation went 
into effect. God provided a shepherd for the cougrega- 



188 



SALEM CHARGE. 



tion and charge, in the person of Rev. T. J. Barkley. 
He accepted a call to the charge, of which Trinity was 
a part, in March, 1863, and entered upon his duties 
April 12th of the same year, at a salary of five hundred 
dollars. During the pastorate of Rev. Barkley, Trinity 
congregation, as well as the others composing the charge, 
made encouraging progress in church life, and in the 
consciousness of their power as a Reformed people. 
They began to see that they could do more than they 
had ever thought of before. As a consequence the 
charge raised the pastor's salary during the last year to 
eight hundred dollars, Trinity congregation doing its 
full share. The benevolent contributions increased in 
the charge from fifty or sixty to two hundred dollars. 

The old Union church being sadly out of repair, many 
of the best members of the Reformed congregation 
wisely concluded that it was better to build an exclu- 
sively Reformed church than to unite with the Lutheran 
people in repairing the old Union church. During the 
summer and fall of 1864, the question of building an 
exclusively Reformed church was earnestly discussed. 
A congregational meeting was held January 7th, 1865, 
when it was determined, one or two dissenting, to build, 
and to enter upon the work early the following spring. 
A committee also consisting of Rev. T. J. Barkley, 
Henry Hugus, Wm, Hugus, Jonathan Snyder, and 
Joseph Snyder, was appointed to solicit subscriptions. 

At a congregational meeting held April 1st, 1865, 
the above committee (appointed to solicit subscriptions), 
presented a tolerably fair report, showing that they had 
met with good success. A building committee, consist- 
ing of John Hugus, H. H. Bear, and George Keck was 



SALEM CHARGE. 



189 



appointed, Into whose hands the letting and supervision 
of the erection of the proposed new church was com- 
mitted. The lot was purchased for $400. 

Early in the spring of 1865, the work was com- 
menced. The brick were made on the lot, and the 
foundation walls built during this summer. A con- 
siderable portion of the work was done by the members, 
the pastor himself helping to haul timber and do other 
work. The building was pushed forward with con- 
siderable vigor, considering the financial condition of 
the congregation, and in the fall of 1866 was under roof. 
It was then considered best to postpone the work till 
next spring. 

In November, 1866, Rev. Barkley resigned. The 
main reason for this act was the fact that the charge was 
too large. The pastor's health had suffered much from 
the long rides and exposures which were necessary to 
serve the Fennel's, St. James' and Pine Run congrega- 
tions, in connection with Trinity congregation. It was 
thought that if the pastor were out of the way a division 
might be effected. This was done the same time that 
the resignation was accepted. Emmanuel congregation 
was detached from First Greensburg charge, (Dr. 
Hacke's), and annexed to Salem charge, St. James' 
and Pine Run constituting one, and Trinity, Fennel's, 
and Emmanuel's the other. The resignation took effect 
January 1, 1867. The additions to the congregation 
during Rev. Barkley's pastorate were thirty-one to the 
communicant, and eight to the baptized membership. 
The Sunday-school was large and interesting. 



190 



SALEM CHARGE. 



rev. J. f. snyder's pastorate. 
Gods thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are our 
ways His ways. Broken down in health and prostrated 
in body and in mind, this servant of the Lord, at the 
urgent request of his physician, was compelled to lay 
aside the shepherd's crook, and seek the parental roof. 
Reaching home almost exhausted and worn out, Novem- 
ber 20th, 1866, he was confined to the house for several 
months. During this confinement he received a call 
from the newly constituted Salem charge. He however 
gave no heed to the call, intending, if God restored him 
to health, to return and labor again among the people 
of his first love. Day by day he was urged by neigh- 
boring pastors and people to accept the call. But the 
words of our Saviour were continually ringing in his 
ears, u A prophet is not without honor save in his own 
country." His health began to improve, and he thought 
of returning, when his now attending physician an- 
nounced to him the fact that he must cease for a time, 
as far as possible, all manner of traveling, either in 
vehicle or on horseback. With tearful eyes and a sad 
heart he wrote his resignation of his former charge and 
his acceptance of the call from the Salem charge. With 
a trembling, fearful heart, yet relying upon the Lord he 
entered upon the labors of the charge and congregation 
where once he had been a catechumen, and lay member, 
a teacher in and Superintendent of the Sunday-school, 
April 1st, 1867, at a salary of $500. The first sum- 
mer his traveling was generally done on foot, preach- 
ing in the morning, and then walking six miles to the 
afternoon appointment. Next Lord's day walking four 
miles between appointments. 



SALEM CHARGE. 



191 



He found the members of Trinity congregation dis- 
couraged. The walls of the new church were up and 
the roof on, and the means as was said exhausted, and 
some debt incurred. The first thing done was the 
calling of a congregational meeting in April for the 
purpose of taking measures to complete the house. In 
the fear of God it was resolved that the work must go 
forward, and that each one do to the utmost of his 
ability, as God prospered him. The work progressed 
rapidly, and on August 4th, the first service was held 
in the new church, — being all completed except th e 
basement. It was solemnly dedicated to the worship 
of the Triune God, on Monday, October 14th, at 10J 
o'clock — Westmoreland Classis being in session at the 
church at the time. The Rev. J. A. Peters preached 
the dedicatory sermon. It was found that the debt 
amounted to $1,800, which the congregation assumed . 
$800 was subscribed at the time towards cancelling the 
debt. Furniture for the church, heaters, chandelier, 
organ, bell, lightning rods, &c, procured afterward, 
swelled the debt to about $2,500. The first roof was of 
slate. It was put on in a very imperfect manner. To 
save the building from utter ruin, it had to be taken off, 
and a shingle roof put on. This involved an additional 
expense of about $300. The congregation, however, 
worked well together; every member, with their pastor 
at their head, paying a certain amount weekly, as God 
prospered them. The debt diminished rapidly, and the 
congregation prospered externally and internally. Rev. 
Snyder labored up to January 1st, 1873, a period of 
five years and nine months. During this time there 
were one hundred and three persons added to the com- 



192 



SALEM CHARGE. 



municant membership of Trinity congregation, and 
seventy- four to the baptized membership. Among the 
former there was one who was a member of his first 
catechetical class, who by his advice, aid, and assistance, 
studied for the Gospel ministry. He is at present a 
worthy and successful pastor, the Rev. G. D, Gourley, of 
Bloomsburg, Pa. The salary also from the charge had 
been increased from five to eight hundred dollars. 
During this pastorate about $4,000 was paid by this 
congregation towards church debt, benevolent objects, 
&c, of which $600 was contributed by the pastor. At 
the annual meeting of Westmoreland Classis, held in 
Trinity church, Salem, June 6-10, 1872, the charge 
was again divided, Salem and Fennel's constituting 
one, and Emmanuel and Olive the other. This action 
was to take effect July 1st, 1872. July 7th, 1872, a 
call was placed in the hands of Rev. J. F. Snyder, from 
the newly constituted Emmanuel charge, which after 
mature deliberation and prayerful consideration, he 
deemed it his duty to accept. He accordingly tendered 
his resignation of the Salem charge, which was unani- 
mously rejected. He still, however, continued to serve 
the whole field. 

On the 16th of October, whilst the pastor was absent 
at the Synod of Greenville, unknown to him the Joint 
Consistory of the Emmanuel charge convened again, 
and made out a second call to the Rev. J. F. Snyder. 
His resignation of the Salem charge was finally accepted, 
and in the fear of the Lord and in unwavering reliance 
upon Him who has promised, "Lo, I am with you 
alway, even unto the end of the world," he entered upon 
the labors of his new and yet old field, January 1st, 
1873. 



SALEM CHARGE. 



193 



REV. S. SHAW'S PASTORATE. 

We are now compelled to record the longest vacancy 
that occurred in the history of Trinity congregation 
since its organization. For one vear and three months 
they were destitute of the regular services of the sanc- 
tuary, and had no shepherd to break unto them the 
bread of life. Neighboring brethren, however, supplied 
them, and kept the fire burning upon the altar. At 
their earnest request and prayers God sent them His 
servant, the Rev. S. Shaw. This earnest brother en- 
tered upon his labors, April 1st, 1874, at a salary of 
$725, including house rent. The charge had suffered 
more or less from the long vacancy, but Brother Shaw 
went forward in faith and labored hard and earnestly, 
and his labors were not without much fruit. The base- 
ment of the church was completed under his pastorate, 
and the congregation grew in numbers and in piety. 
Thirty-six persons were added to the communicant and 
thirty-eight to the baptized membership of the congre- 
gation. After laboring faithfully up to June 1st, 1876, 
he resigned, to the great regret of many of his people. 
Having received a call from the West, he deemed it his 
duty to go and labor there. 

REV. J. W. KNAPPENBERGER's PASTORATE. 

This young brother was born and reared within three 
miles of Salem. He was baptized, catechized, and con- 
firmed by Dr. Hacke, and a member of his congrega- 
tion, (Manor). He was received under care of West- 
moreland Classis, June, 1872. Graduated at the Theo- 
logical Seminary, May, 1876. Licensed by Westrnore- 
9 



SALEM CHARGE. 



lstnd Classis, June, 1876. Received and accepted a call 
to the Salem charge, October, 1876, at a salary of $600. 
Ordained and installed November 9th. Entered im- 
mediately upon his duties. Has already done a good 
work. Seven persons have been added to the commu- 
nicant, and eight to the baptized membership of Trinity 
congregation. 

It FENNEL^ CONGREGATION, SALEM TOWNSHIP, 
WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA. 

Fennel is a daughter of Trinity Reformed congrega- 
tion, Salem, Pa. Since her organization the charge 
has undergone three changes in the way of division 
and reorganization, yet Fennel's has always stood by 
and held fast to her mother Trinity. During these 
changes and divisions that have been going forward the 
language of Ruth to her mother-in-law, Naomi, seems 
to be applicable to her : " Entreat me not to leave thee, 
or to return from following after thee; for whither 
thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will 
lodge ; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my 
God ; where thou diest will I die and there will I be 
buried ; the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught 
but death part me and thee." 

This congregation originally constituted a part of 
Trinity at Salem. Owing to the great distance these 
persons lived from Salem, and the inconvenience of at- 
tending divine service there, the pastor, Rev. R. P. 
Thomas, was engaged to preach for them in u Concord 
school-house " every two weeks, in the afternoon, com- 
mencing December 4th, 1858. This arrangement was 



SALEM CHARGE. 



195 



continued np until January 29, I860, the pastor receiv- 
ing a stipulated salary at this point of $175 per year. 

In the spring or summer of 1859, active measures 
were taken for building a church. A lot of ground for 
the church and grave-yard was secured from Mr. David 
Shields, a member of the Presbyterian Church. It was 
the design and purpose to build an exclusively Re- 
formed church, but when the deed was made the land 
was deeded to the Reformed and Lutheran congregations. 
Hence the church became and continues to the present 
time a union church. The church is frame, about forty- 
five by thirty-two feet, lined and ceiled inside with 
boards. There is no record of the exact date of, nor of 
the services connected with the laying of the corner- 
stone, but this took place in August of the year 1859. 
Revs. R. P. Thomas and N. P. Hacke, D.D., being 
present, February 27th, 1860, the new church was 
solemnly dedicated to the worship of the Triune God. 
The pastor, Rev. R. P. Thomas, was assisted on this 
occasion by the now sainted Rev. C. C. Russell. The 
records furnish no account, however, of these interest- 
ing services. On the same day the congregation was 
organized by the pastor, Rev. R. P. Thomas, by elect- 
ing Mr. Wm. McCutcheon, Elder for two years, and 
Peter Hill, Elder for one year; and Joseph Williard, 
Deacon for two years, and John Michael Fennel, Dea- 
con for one year. Mr. David Wolff, was also elected 
Trustee of the Church. The newly elected elders and 
deacons were duly ordained and installed. A constitu- 
tion was drawn up and signed at the same time by 
forty-three members. The congregation also agreed to 
pay the pastor a salary of $150 for the year, commenc- 



196 



SALEM CHARGE. 



ing with January 1, 1860, and to be paid in quarterly 
installments, and any deficiency in the amount sub- 
scribed was to be made up by the members and not 
simply by the officers of the congregation. It was also 
resolved that the communion be held on the last Lord's 
day in March, and the last Lord's day of every third 
month thereafter. A resolution was also passed re- 
questing Westmoreland Classis to take this congrega- 
tion under its care, and that it be constituted a part of 
the Salem charge. This action of the congregation 
was confirmed by Westmoreland Classis at her annual 
sessions at Centreville, Somerset county, Pa., Septem- 
ber, 1860. 

Under the faithful and successful labors of Rev. 
Thomas, the congregation grew and prospered exter- 
nally and internally. The great majority of the mem- 
bers were young or just in the prime of life, and were 
full of zeal as regards the Church. The audiences were 
large. The members punctual. The Sunday-school 
flourishing and the congregation active and in a healthy 
condition. Rev. Thomas labored here until his resig- 
nation of the Salem charge went into effect, April 1st, 
1863. During this time he added nineteen members to 
the communicant and twenty-five to the baptized mem- 
bership. 

REV. T. J. BARKLEY's PASTORATE. 

This Reformed vine taken so carefully from the 
mother stock and transplanted by the judicious and 
diligent hand of Rev. Thomas, and watered by his tears 
and prayers was not now left destitute and uncared for. 
There was no break or vacancy between the pastorate 



SALEM CHARGE. 



197 



of Revs. Thomas and Barkley. The end of the former 
marks the beginning of the latter. What proportion of 
the salary, which was $500 from the whole charge, the 
congregation paid, the records do not state. Rev. 
Barkley from the very beginning of his ministry had 
the entire confidence of this people, and was universally 
respected and esteemed. He labored diligently, ear- 
nestly, and faithfully, and the congregation made 
encouraging progress as regards Church life and the 
interests of the Church generally. Growth as regards 
the Church, the mystical Body of Christ, and the 
divinely-ordained and time-honored system of educa- 
tional religion were not wanting, but were more and more 
seen and felt year by year. The natural result of such 
growth, as is always the case, was manifested in the 
Christian life of the individual members of the con- 
gregation. As a people they were punctual and faithful, 
not only in their attendance upon the stated preaching 
of the word, but also upon the ordinances of the Church. 
The little vine w T as strengthened and built up, and its 
growth was real and sure. 

Rev. Barkley introduced the apostolic mode of alms- 
giving. It met with a hearty response from the 
congregation. The result was that the benevolent 
contributions were vastly increased, and what seemed 
to be a heavy burden formerly, under this God-ordained 
system became light and easy. After a successful and 
prosperous pastorate of three years and nine months, 
Rev. Barkley on account of failing health brought on 
by the labor and exposure incident to a large charge, 
resigned. The communicant membership during this 
period was increased by twenty-one members, the bap- 
tized by thirty-two members. 



198 



SALEM CHARGE. 



rev. J. f. snyder's pastorate. 
A vacancy of three months occurred in this congre- 
gation after Rev. Barkley resigned. During this time, 
however, the congregation was occasionally supplied 
with the means of grace. The old Salem charge 
having been divided at the close of Rev. Barkley's pas- 
torate, the Fennel's congregation in connection with 
Trinity (the mother) and Emmanuel, united in a call 
to the Rev. J. F. Snyder at a salary of $500, of which 
Fennel's obligated itself to pay one-third in quarterly 
installments. He began his labors in this congregation 
March 29th, 1867. His first service was a sermon pre- 
paratory to the Holy Communion. On the following 
day the Lord's supper was administered to sixty-three 
communicants. From this time forth divine service 
was held regularly every two weeks, in the afternoon. 
The first summer the pastor generally did his traveling 
to this congregation on foot. With a broken-down 
physical constitution, vivid recollections of that sum- 
mer's toil are yet at hand. The friendly, cooling shade 
of many a tree by the way, is still kindly remembered, 
where the weary servant of God tarried for a few mo- 
ments and was screened from the scorching rays of the 
summer's sun. At other times some of these same trees 
served as a refuge and a covert from the storm and rain. 
Ten years have rolled away, but the impressions made 
by those journeys on foot are still as vivid as if they 
had occurred but yesterday, and will never be forgotten. 
The charge being now divided left the pastor more 
time for visiting and attending to the interests of the 
congregation generally. In company with the officers 
of the congregation every family received regular pas- 



SALEM CHARGE. 



199 



toral visitation. "The gospel was preached publicly, 
and from house to house." Families who were not 
in connection with any branch of the Church were 
also visited, and the duty of church membership im- 
pressed upon them. The good result of these visita- 
tions was seen in the increased zeal of the members for 
the church, and the warm attachment and love toward 
their pastor. Some also by those visits were gathered 
in from the world, who are to-day shining lights in the 
kingdom of God, our Redeemer upon earth. The cate- 
chetical class and Sunday-school received numerous 
additions from »this latter class, and the little vine 
flourished, grew and brought forth fruit to the honor 
and glory of God. 

Eev. Snyder labored in this congregation for a 
period of five years and nine months, when the charge 
was ripe for another division. This division had already 
taken place, and had been confirmed by Westmoreland 
Class : s, January 26th, 1873. Rev. J. F. Snyder 
preached his farewell sermon to this people from 2d 
Corinthians, 13th chapter, 11th verse. He had sown 
in hard and weary toil and tears, but he was also per- 
mitted to reap in joy. The additions during his pas- 
torate were forty-six to the communicant, and thirty- 
nine to the baptized membership. 

EEV. S. SHAW'S PASTORATE. 

As the bed-ridden sufferer waits and watches anx- 
iously for the morning, so did this people now wait for a 
whole year and three months for a shepherd to feed them, 
and lead them to the fountain of living waters. From 
time to time, the vine was strengthened, and not suf- 



200 



SALEM CHARGE. 



fered to die. The committee of supply on vacant 
charges appointed by Classis visited these brethren as 
frequently as possible, preached for them, baptized 
their babes into the name of the Triune God, and ad- 
ministered to them the Holy Communion. As good 
news from a far country, and as cold water to a thirsty 
soul, so were the tidings as regarded Rev. Shaw's ac- 
ceptance of their call. His trial sermons had given 
universal satisfaction, and he was the man above many 
others whom they preferred. April 1st, 1874, he en- 
tered upon the labors of this congregation. The con- 
gregation had suffered more or less duping the long va- 
cancy, yet we find that the regular communicants 
during the first year of Rev. Shaw's pastorate numbered 
about one hundred. 

Rev. Shaw labored earnestly and efficiently. The 
charge having been divided, gave more time for pasto- 
ral visitations and general work outside of the pulpit 
and study. This duty he neither shirked nor failed to 
discharge. Day by day, through fair and foul weather 
he toiled early and late, and labored incessantly for the 
good of his flock. He saw "of the travail of his soul 
and was satisfied," for the work of the Lord prospered 
in his hands. 

After laboring two years and one month in this con- 
gregation, he felt it to be his duty to remove to the 
West, from which he had received a call. To the great 
regret of this people, he bade them an affectionate and 
final farewell. During his pastorate he added eigh- 
teen to the confirmed membership. The church re- 
cord, strange to say, does not record a single baptism. 
This has no doubt been overlooked, and should be yet 
rectified. 



SALEM CHARGE. 



201 



REV. J. W. KNAPPENBERGER's PASTORATE. 

November 9th, 1876 marks the date of this young 
brother's entrance upon the labors of this congregation. 
He has already gained the hearty confidence of the 
members, and is laboring earnestly and diligently for 
the welfare of souls. Like young Timothy, somewhat 
weak and delicate physically, yet he endures hardness 
like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 

Higher and yet higher in the divine life seems to be 
his motto, and his people are imbibing this spirit. His 
own heart warm towards these, the people of his first 
love, has already attracted their love and esteem for 
him. The additions to the baptized membership are 
three. 



9* 



V 



THE IRWIN CHARGE. 



By Rev. J. M. TITZEL. 



i 



THE IRWIN CHARGE. 



BY REV. J. M. TITZEL. 



The Irwin Charge was created by the division of the 
Second Greensburg charge at a special meeting of West- 
moreland Classis, held at Greensburg, Pa., April 6th, 
1870. It consists of a single congregation, and has 
undergone no change since it was first constituted a 
charge by the action of the Classis. Its history is, 
therefore, identically the same as the later history of 

THE REFORMED CHURCH A.T IRWIN. 

This cl urch owes its existence to a deeply felt neces- 
sity for English preaching, which manifested itself 
about the year 1848 in the Brush Creek Reformed 
Church. Many of the young, owing to their not being 
satisfied with the German services which were exclu- 
sively held in the church, had become indifferent, and 
others had strayed off to other denominations. To 
remedy this state of things it was sought to have some 
English preaching in the Brush Creek Church. But 
this, for various reasons, was strongly opposed by the 
Pastor and the Consistory. Accordingly a petition to 
Classis was drawn up, asking for the privilege of or- 
ganizing a new church, in which the services should 
be conducted in the English language. Mr. Joseph 

205 



206 



IRWIN CHARGE. 



Cort was most active in getting subscribers to this peti- 
tion, and in the spring of 1850, he carried it up to the 
meeting of Classis at Somerset, Pa. Though the Classis 
conceded that the petitioners had right on their side, 
yet they did not deem it advisable to grant their request, 
but sought in some other way to make provision for their 
wants. Nothing, however, resulted from this provision, 
it never being carried into effect, and so a second petition 
was sent up to the meeting of Classis at Grantville, Md., 
the following year. Owing to some informality on the 
part of the petitioners, Classis postponed taking action 
with regard to it. Unwilling to be deprived of Eng- 
lish services any longer, the petitioners now withdrew 
from the Brush Creek Church, and united with the 
Second (English) Reformed Church at Greensburg. 

During the summer of 1852, the pastor of the Second 
Reformed Church at Greensburg began preaching in 
the school-house at Adamsburg for the benefit of his 
members living in the neighborhood. After preaching 
was held there for three or four months, Mr. John Irwin 
offered these members a lot of ground for the erection of a 
Church in the town of Irwin, which he then had con- 
cluded to lay out along the Pennsylvania railroad. 
This offer was accepted, and in order to be nearer the 
place where they expected to operate in the future, the 
next appointment for preaching w T as made at Jackson- 
ville, a small village about a mile west of Irwin. At 
Jacksonville for some time preaching was held regularly 
every two weeks. 

On the 1st of January, 1853, the members of the 
Reformed Church favorable to the organization of a 
church at Irwin station, met at the house of Mr. Jacob 



IRWIN CHARGE. 



207 



Hershey, Sr., in North Huntingdon township, Westmore- 
land Co., Pa., and resolved to organize by choosing Jo- 
seph Cort and Jacob Hershey, Sr., as Elders ; and Samuel 
Perkins and John Wigle, as Deacons. On the follow- 
ing day the organization was completed by the installa- 
tion of these persons in the offices to which they w r ere 
elected. In connection with the installation, the pas- 
tor, Rev. S. H. Giesy, preached on Ps. cxxxvii. 5, 6 : 
" If I forget thee, oh ! Jerusalem, let my right hand for- 
get her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my 
tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth ! if 1 prefer not 
Jerusalem above my chief joy' } 

The following are the names of those who composed 
the organization: Joseph Cort, Fanny Cort, Elizabeth 
Cort, Cyrus Cort, Samuel Perkins, Susanna Perkins, 
Jacob Hershey, Sr., Anna Hershey, Albert Cort, Lu- 
cetta Cort, Amanda Cort, John Wigle, and Mary 
Wigle; in all thirteen persons. To these, however, 
very soon a number of others were added by certificate, 
and by confirmation. 

Preaching was continued at Jacksonville during the 
winter. In the spring Mr. James Mcllvain kindly 
offered his ware-house at the station, and the services 
were then transferred to that place. Efforts were at 
once made to secure a sufficient amount of money to 
commence the erection of a Church. The contract for 
building one w r as let the same spring. In gathering 
subscriptions, it is due to Mr. Joseph Cort to state that 
he took the most active part. 

By the ensuing winter the Church, which is a brick 
building, was so far completed that the basement story 
could be occupied. On the 1st of June, 1854, the 



208 



IRWIN CHARGE. 



work on the building being finished, it was dedicated 
to the service of the Triune God. The dedicatory sermon 
was preached by Rev. G. B. Russell of Pittsburgh. 
Rev. S. H. Giesy continued to serve the church regu- 
larly every two weeks until July 22, 1855, when he 
preached his farewell sermon, having accepted a call 
from the Reformed Church at Hagerstown, Md. 

At the time of the organization of the church at 
Irwin, it was part of the Second Greensburg charge, 
and it continued to be a part of that charge until it was 
constituted a charge by itself. In the meantime, ac- 
cordingly, the same pastors served it that served Greens- 
burg. These pastors, after Rev. S. H. Giesy, were, 
Rev. T. G. Apple, from January, 1856, to February, 
1857; Rev. L. H. Kefauver, from May, 1857, to 
February, 1861 ; Rev. II. W. Super, from April, 1862, 
to April, 1865; Rev. G. H. Johnston, from July, 1866, 
to January, 1867; and T. J. Barkley, from January, 
1867, to May, 1870. 

During the respective pastorates of these brethren, 
services, as a general thing, were regularly held in the 
church at Irwin every two weeks, mostly on Sunday 
afternoon, and the congregation slowly but steadily in- 
creased in numbers. Nothing worthy of special note 
occurred within this period of the church's history. 
Everything moved along quietly and in the usual way. 
In 1866, when Rev. G. H. Johnston was pastor, he 
took the census of the congregation, and found seventy- 
five confirmed, and seventy-seven baptized members 
connected with it. 

The first pastor of the Church after it became a 
charge, was Rev. W. E. Krebs. His pastorate began 



IRWIN CHARGE. 



209 



June 5th, 1870. Soon after steps were taken to build 
a parsonage. On Monday, March 27 ; 1871, the mem- 
bers commenced the excavation of the cellar, and in the 
following August, the building was finished, and the 
minister's family moved into it on the 15th of that 
month. Besides preaching regularly morning and 
evening on each Lord's day in the Church at Irwin, 
Rev. Krebs preached also every four weeks on Sunday 
afternoon, in the school-house at Newtown. He re- 
signed the charge in order to accept the position of Pro- 
fessor of Mathematics in Franklin and Marshall Col- 
lege, to which he was elected in June, 1872. He 
preached his farewell sermon in the Church at Irwin, 
August 25th, 1872. During his pastorate the member- 
ship of the Church was considerably increased, and the 
condition of the church in every way greatly improved. 

After Rev. W. E. Krebs had left Irwin, the church 
extended a call to Rev. J. M. Titzel. He accepted the 
same, and began his labors in the congregation Febru- 
ary 2d, 1873. He is at this time, 1877, still the pas- 
tor of the church, which now numbers about one 
hundred and sixty confirmed, and one hundred and 
sixty-five baptized members. 

Nearly ever since the Reformed Church at Irwin 
was organized, a Sunday-school has been connected with 
it. Though this school has never been very large, it 
has, nevertheless, done good work for the cause of 
Christ. Through its instrumentality not a few have 
learned to know Him whom to know is life eternal. 

Irwin, in which the Irwin church is located, is a 
thriving town on the Pennsylvania railroad, nine miles 
west of Greensburg, and twenty-one miles east of Pitts- 



210 



IRWIN CHARGE. 



burgh. It has a population of about fifteen hundred. 
When the Reformed Church was built here, the town 
had not yet come into existence, and there was no other 
place of worship within several miles. Now the town 
has six churches, besides the Reformed Church. 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE. 



By Rev. HENRY BAIR. 



PINE Rim REFORMED CHARGE- 



BY REV. HENRY BAIR. 



Pine Run Congregation, near North Washington, 
Westmoreland County, Pa., was organized condition- 
ally, April, A. D. 1861, with twenty-seven members. 
These members belonged previously to the St. James' 
congregation, near Salina, but the distance being too 
great to attend divine worship regularly at that church, 
they were dismissed for the purpose of forming a new 
organization. The names of those thus dismissed to 
form the Pine Run congregation are as follows : John 
Yockey, Jacob Weister, John Gumbert, Sr., Simon 
Kunkle, Libby Kunkle, William W. Weister, Eliza- 
beth Weister, Jacob H. Yockey, Dorcas Yockey, Con- 
rad Beighley, Catharine Beighley, Susanna Gumbert, 
Daniel Gumbert, Christiana Gumbert, Leah Kunkle, 
Elizabeth Muffly, Samuel Fry, Margaret Fry, Joseph 
Knappenberger, Anna Knappenberger, Jacob Wauga- 
man, Mary Waugaman, John Waugaman, Mary Lauf- 
fer, Franklin Kunkle, Israel Muffley, and Susanna 
Auk. 

The congregation was attached to the Salem charge, 
of which Rev. R. P. Thomas was then the pastor, and 
consequently he continued to minister to this people, as 

213 



214 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE. 



he had done while they yet belonged to the St, James' 
congregation, — which was also a part of the Salem 
charge. Services were held every other Lord's day, in 
the afternoon, at the u Yockey School-house." 

John Yockey, Esq., generously donated one acre of 
land as a site for a church and grave-yard ; a subscrip- 
tion was taken, and a building committee appointed to 
carry out the project of erecting a church. The com- 
mittee consisted of Conrad Beighley, Daniel Gumbert, 
and Elder John Yockey. The corner-stone of the pro- 
posed church edifice was laid, June 5th, 1862, in accor- 
dance with the customs of the Reformed Church. The 
pastor was assisted on this occasion by Rev. C. C. Rus- 
sell, then of Latrobe, Pa. On the same day John 
Yockey, Esq., and Jacob Weister were elected Elders, 
and Simon Kunkle and Jacob H. Yockey, Deacons. 

The work was carried on to completion by the 30th 
of August of the same year, and dedicated on this day 
to the worship of the Triune God. Rev. G. B. Russell, 
of Pittsburgh, preached the sermon upon the interesting 
occasion, and assisted in the consecration services. 

The following day eleven members were added to the 
congregation — nine by the rite of confirmation, and two 
by renewal of profession. 

Those entering into the organization at first, contri- 
buted towards the building of the church as follows : 
John Yockey one acre of land, and . $100 
John Gumbert, Sr., .... 100 
Simon Kunkle, . . . . 50 

Leah Kunkle, . . • .50 

Jacob Weister, , • . . 50 

William W. Weister, . . .50 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE. 215 

Conrad Beighley, . . . $50 

J. H. Yockey, 50 

Daniel Gumbert, ... 50 

Israel Muffley, . . . .25 

Susanna Gumbert, ... 10 

Joseph Knappenberger, ... 5 

John Waugaman, . . . 5 



The balance to pay the contractor was contributed by 
persons who became members of the congregation after- 
wards, and by persons in the neighborhood who were 
friendly to the enterprise. 

Rev. R. P. Thomas continued the pastor until the 
spring of 1863, and added fifteen members during his 
pastorate of about two years. Nine of these were re- 
ceived by confirmation, two by renewal of profession, 
and four by certificate. He also baptized three chil- 
dren, and officiated at three funerals. He was well 
Jiked as a minister and man, and was as successful, in 
all probability, as any one else would have been under 
similar circumstances. 

Rev. T. J. Barkley, being called to the pastorate of 
the Salem charge, became also the pastor here. He 
entered this field of labor, April, 1863, and continued 
in the charge up to the end of the year 1866. He pre- 
pared the way for a division of the charge, which was 
acted upon by Classis in due time, and the division con- 
summated. The St. James' and Pine Run congrega- 
tions were constituted a new charge, called after the St. 
James' congregation. During Rev. Barkley's ministry 
nineteen w r ere added to the communicant, and twelve to 
the baptized membership. On the 8th of May, 1864, he 
organized a Sunday-school. Cyrus Kunkle was elected 



216 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE, 



Superintendent; William Weister, Assistant Superin- 
tendent; J. D. Lauffer, Secretary, and John Yockey, 
Librarian and Treasurer. The school gradually in- 
creased until it numbered sixty-six teachers and scho- 
lars. It will be seen, therefore, that Rev. Barkley was 
quite successful in building up this interest. 

Rev. T. F. Stauffer succeeded him in May, 1867. 
He was the first pastor of the St. James' charge proper, 
composed now of the St. James' and Pine Run congre- 
gations. From this time on, Pine Run congregation 
received half of the pastor's time, which gave it new 
life and prosperity. It increased, as a natural con- 
sequence, more rapidly than ever before in its his- 
tory. Previous to Rev. Stauffer's pastorate the services 
were held mostly in the afternoon of the day belonging 
to St. James' congregation, which seemed to be against 
the rapid growth of the congregation here. After ob- 
taining morning service, the Sunday-school also greatly 
revived and flourished, having the benefit of the pas- 
tor's presence and assistance. A good new library was 
secured for the use of the Sunday-school. The congre- 
gational singing was greatly improved, and there was 
general prosperity in all the departments of church 
work. Fifty-nine full members were enrolled upon the 
church book, and eighty-four children were received as 
lambs into the fold of Christ by holy baptism, during 
the ministry of Rev. Stauffer. To the great regret of 
the people, he resigned September, 1871, to accept of a 
call to the Wilkinsburg Mission, Allegheny County, Pa. 

Rev. J. B. Welty was the next pastor. He com- 
menced his labors in the charge, September, 1872, but 
only remained one year, having decided to engage in 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE. 



217 



mission work in Iowa. He added fourteen members 
by confirmation and certificate. 

Rev. James Grant, and then Rev. John McConnell, 
each served the congregation as supply for a period of 
six months. The latter received one by confirmation, 
and three children by baptism. 

At the annual meeting of Classis held in the 
Emmanuel Church, near Murraysville, Westmoreland 
County, Pa., June, 1875, a petition, numerously signed, 
was presented, asking that Pine Run congregation be 
stricken off from the St. James' charge, and erected into 
a charge by itself. The request was accordingly granted. 
The following July Rev. Henry Bair was called, and 
accepted the call to this new charge, of but one congre- 
gation. [It was at first a serious question as to whether 
so small a membership could support a pastor, but time 
has shown what a few earnest, liberal people can do, 
when there is a will to do it. Rev. Bair has now been 
the pastor about one year and a half ; and, though the 
times have been " hard," his people have comfortably 
supported him, and given their full share to the benevo- 
lent objects of the Church at large. Others can see here 
what they can do, when their hearts are in the work of 
the Church, and when they are willing to sustain it. 
It may be added that this people are not only few, but 
also comparatively poor. This in brackets is inserted 
by the chairman of the committee.] 

While the charge was without a pastor, the member- 
ship became somewhat discouraged and scattered. Since 
the congregation has the entire time of a pastor, new 
energy and activity are manifest. The members are 
united and harmonious in pushing forward the Lord's 
work. Divine service is held every Lord's day, and 
10 



238 



PINE RUN REFORMED CHARGE. 



Sunday-school in connection with it. The school has 
upon its roll twelve teachers and eighty-five scholars, 
with an average attendance of about sixty-five. The 
officers, besides the pastor, Kev. Bair, are : Frederick 
Wigle, Superintendent; Jacob H. Yockey, Secretary; 
P. K. Gumbert, Librarian ; John Gumbert, Sr., Trea- 
surer, J. B. Lauffer and A. B. Hill, Choristers. 

During the present pastorate, thirty-nine members 
have been received into full communion, and fifteen 
children by holy baptism. 

Salary and benevolent money are gathered by the 
envelope system ev >rv Lord^s day. The people had 
been taught to give unto the Lord by previous pastors, 
and they put in practice this teaching. The cause of 
Missions, Beneficiary education, Orphans' Home, and 
such like, are liberally aided by them. They are also 
making preparations for the building of a parsonage. 

The charge numbers (January 1st, 1877) one hun- 
dred and six confirmed, and eighty-seven unconfirmed 
(baptized) members. It owns a good and comfortable 
Church, and is free of debt. 

The following persons hold office in the congrega- 
tion, namely: Elders — John Yockey, Daniel Lauffer, 
and John Gumbert, Sr. ; Deacons — Simon Kunkle, P. 
K. Gumbert, and Asa Blose ; Trustees — John Yockey, 
and Simon Kunkle; Chorister — J. D. Lauffer. 

The future prospects of the congregation are very 
promising. With the Lord's blessing and favor, as we 
have had it in the past, there will be rapid growth in 
numbers and continued progress in Christian life. 

May grace, mercy, and peace, from Father, Son, and 
Holy Ghost be with us all, henceforth and for ever- 
more. Amen. 



TRINITY REFORMED CHARGE. 

SCOTTDALE, PA. 



By Rev. S. Z. BEAM. 



TIUNITY REFORMED CHARGE OF 
SCOTTDALE, PA. 



BY REV. S. Z. BEAM. 



This church was organized July 20th, 1873, by 
order of Westmoreland Classis. 

Rev. L. B. Leasure effected this organization, under 
a commission from Classis. He received as a remu- 
neration for the first year's work as a missionary at this 
place the sum of five hundred dollars, ($500), this 
amount having been appropriated by act of Classis. 

The following are the names of the officers and mem- 
bers who entered into the organization : 

Elder— Dv. N. L. Kline. 

Deacon- — Daniel Byers. 

Members — Wm, A. Kifer, Sarah Kifer, Eliza Kline, 
Christiana Schwartzendruber, Rebecca Evans, Hannah 
Evans, Rebecca Martz, Mr. Waugaman, Mrs. Wauga- 
man. 

Rev. L. B. Leasure, Pastor. 

There w r ere, therefore, eleven members, exclusive of 
the Pastor, at the date of the organization. 

The congregation was admitted to membership by 
Westmoreland Classis, at a special meeting held at 
Irwin Station, June 16th, 1873. 

The first Trustees, viz.: Wm. A. Kifer and Dr. N. 
L. Kline, were elected, Xovember 8th, 1873, 



222 TRINITY REFORMED CHARGE OF SCOTTDALE, PA. 

The corner-stone of the Church was laid November 
9th, 1873. Rev. J. M. Titzel preached, and the Pastor 
laid the stone, according to the form prescribed in our 
" Order of Worship." 

May, 1874, Zephaniah Brinker was elected Trustee. 
Up to this date the record appears to show that there 
were only two Trustees. On this date also, one Elder 
and two Deacons were added to the Consistory, increas- 
ing the number of officers to five. 

At this date also, as the records show, the name of 
the place was changed from Fountain Mills to Scott- 
dale. The church was dedicated under the name of 
" Trinity Reformed Church," June 27th, 1874. Rev. 
Father N. P. Hacke, D. D., preaching in the German 
language in the morning, and Rev. G. B. Russell, D. D., 
in the evening. 

Soon after this Rev. Leasure's work ended. At his 
own request Classis relieved him from further serving 
the mission. 

August 2d, 1874, the Lord's Supper was admin- 
istered by Rev. L. Cort, when twenty persons com- 
muned, showing an addition of nine members since the 
organization of the church. 

Another addition was made of nine members, April 
3d, 1875, and the Lord's Supper administered again by 
Rev. L. Cort, who was acting as supply by appointment 
of Westmoreland Classis. The number of members at 
this time was twenty-nine. 

The next Pastor was Rev. W. C. B. Shullenberger, 
elected June 28th, 1875, when Rev. D, B. Lady, as re- 
presentative of Classis, presided over the meeting. He 
commenced his labors August 8th, 1875. Under this 



TlilNITY REFORMED CHARGE OF SCOT f DALE, PA. 223 



pastorate, the constitution of the congregation was 
adopted, and seventeen persons added to its member- 
ship, making in all, a membership of forty six. The 
Rev. W. C. B. Shullenberger served the congregation 
about one year. 

His successor, Rev. Samuel Z. Beam, took charge of 
the mission, November 1st, 1876, and has therefore 
been here only about six weeks, so that nothing can be 
said as to the result of his labors. 

The present number of confirmed members is, ac- 
cording to the record, forty-three. 

The baptized membership can be given only approxi- 
mately, since there is no catalogue of them, and only a 
few names can be found in the minutes. The number 
as nearly as I am able to discover is thirty-nine. 

The Sunday-school is in a tolerably good condition. 
There appears to be more activity in this direction than 
in any other. 

Its services are conducted after the order given in Dr. 
Harbaugh's Hymn Book for Sunday-schools, and all 
seem to join heartily in the Responses. The Lesson 
Papers, published by the Board of Publication at Phila- 
delphia, are used. 

The number of scholars has fluctuated between fifty 
and a hundred. At times it has reached the last named 
number. It is at present about eighty. 

The officers and teachers together, number twelve, 
all of whom are generally found at their posts of duty. 

The Pastor of the congregation is, eX'offi,cio, Superin- 
tendent, and as such, usually conducts the exercises. 

It might be added, that this mission is yet supported 
by the missionary Boards. The Tri-synodic Board 



224 TRINITY REFORMED CHARGE OF SCOTTDALE. PA. 

appropriating for the present Pastoral year, beginning 
November 1st, 1876, the sum of two hundred and fifty 
dollars ($250), Classis of Westmoreland adds to this 
amount two hundred dollars ($200), making in all four 
hundred and fifty dollars ($450). The congregation 
itself is obligated to make up the balance of seven 
hundred dollars ($700), which is the stipulated salary 
of the present Pastor. 



EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



By Rev. LUC IAN CORT. 



THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



BY REV. LUCIAN CORT. 



Greensbueg, Pa. 
The History of the Reformed Church in the bounds 
of the Westmoreland Classis, would be incomplete 
without also giving a short sketch of those congrega- 
tions which once were a part of the Church, but now 
are extinct. Of these there were five, namely : The 
Muhleisen, (now called the Milliron), Donegal, Indian 
Creek, Barren Run, and the Forks congregations. 
These congregations were located in the Southeastern 
part of Westmoreland and Fayette Counties. The 
dates of their organizations are not known. Very little 
can be said of their early history, as no documentary 
records are at hand to give any information on the 
subject. 

They were no doubt the result of Rev. Weber's mis- 
sionary labors in this section during the close of last, 
or the beginning of this century. Several of them were 
perhaps of a later date. The first record of these con- 
gregations, is found in the Minutes of the " Eastern 
District Synod of Ohio/' for the year 1841. With the 
exception of the Milliron congregation, there is no writ* 

227 



228 



THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



ten record of any of them prior to this date. Tradition, 
however, reports them as having been served by Rev. 
Weber and his successors, Revs. Weinel and Voigt. 
The record for the same year, shows that these congrega- 
tions, except Barren Run, were then already a part of 
the Mount Pleasant charge, of which Rev. Voigt was 
the Pastor. In 1845 the name of Forks is dropped, 
and that of Barren Run appears for the first time, as 
one of the congregations of the charge. But in the fol- 
lowing year it is also dropped, and does not again appear 
on the record. The precise date at which the names of 
the other congregations disappeared from the classical 
record is not shown, as only the number, and not the 
names of the congregations are given, after the year 
1849. Some of them, however, were continued as late 
as 1859. From this time on, there is no further notice 
taken in the classical reports, of any of them. There is 
no evidence that they ever were in a prosperous condi- 
tion during any period of their existence as congrega- 
tions. They seem to have been weak and unpromising 
interests from the start. Organized in remote localities, 
and being part of a large charge composed of twelve 
congregations, they could not receive the necessary pas- 
toral services to make them prosperous even under more 
favorable circumstances. For many years these organi- 
zations were kept up and served with great difficulty by 
the pastor, thus dragging out a sickly existence, until 
finally they died out from neglect and spiritual starva- 
tion. The membership were scattered, some being ab- 
sorbed by other denominations, while others \vere swept 
away by the natural current of the world's life. Such 
were some of the causes which led to the decline and 



THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



229 



final loss of these congregations. They have become 
extinct, and are now lost to our church. 

The .Rev. C. C. Russell is reported as the last Re- 
formed minister who preached at Indian Creek and 
Barren Run. He visited these congregations for the 
purpose of reorganizing them, but found the material 
entirely lost to the Reformed church. The Rev. A. J. 
Heller stopped preaching at Donegal while he was pastor 
of the Mount Pleasant charge — say about the year 1870 
or '72. This is the last account of any services had in 
any of these congregations. 

THE MTJHLEISEN, OK MILLIRON CONGREGATION. 

This is one of the extinct congregations, but deserves 
a more special notice. It is perhaps one of the oldest 
congregations originally served by Father Weber. The 
date of its organization is not known, but must have 
been before 1813. Tradition reports that a difficulty 
occurring between the Reformed and Lutherans in re- 
ference to the church property at Harrold's, a part of 
the Reformed membership withdrew and organized 
themselves into a congregation now known as the Mil- 
liron. An article of agreement for the purchase of a 
piece of land, for church and school purposes, was 
signed, on the 6th day of March of the same year, 
by John Wm. Weber, Preacher, Tobias Long and 
Philip Milliron, members of this congregation. It ap- 
pears from the agreement that a church was standing on 
the land at the time of purchase already, which shows 
that the congregation was in existence before that time. 
In the article of agreement the congregation is spoken 
of under the name of Reformed Presbyterian congrega- 



230 



THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



tion of Hempfield Township. This is a misnomer — it 
should have been the German Reformed congregation 
of Hempfield Township. The terms of the agreement 
are very specific, setting forth the purpose and object 
for which the land was purchased, and by what tenure 
the property as well as the rights and privileges of the 
congregation are " guaranteed to them and their heirs 
forever during ages, as long as sun and moon shine, 
water runs and trees grow." The right of the minister 
to occupy this property was conditioned by his being a 
member of the Reformed Synod : " otherwise he can 
and must have no residence on said lot of land, allotted 
for the aforesaid purposes." The tract contains seventy- 
five and one half acres, with allowance. From the 
article of agreement it appears to have been intended as 
a home for the minister of this congregation, or of the 
congregations composing the charge which Father 
Weber was then serving. — A church was to be erected 
thereon, the grave-yard to be fenced in, and a dwelling- 
house for the minister, or a school-master, to be built. 
In case no minister or school-master lived there, then it 
w T as to be rented to some farmer or tradesman. Pro- 
vision is also made for the appointment of Trustees, 
whose business it is faithfully to carry out the aforesaid 
purposes. It does not appear that the Rev. Father 
Weber ever lived on this farm himself. He died before 
the dwelling and farm improvements were made. Just 
when the old frame-house was built, is not known. It 
was replaced in 1830. The Rev. W. Weinel, who served 
a portion of Father Weber's former charge, lived in this 
home stead for some years. He moved to it between 
1820 and 1823. It does not appear that it was ever 



THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 231 



used as a minister's residence since Rev. Weinel left it. 
It lias been held, however, in trust, by the Trustees, 
for the sacred object originally designated by the pur- 
chasers. The church itself was repaired in 1850, and 
the burying-ground, enclosed with a suitable fence. 

Here, in this "rural burying-ground" rest the re- 
mains of Rev. John William Weber, the Pioneer Mis- 
sionary of the Reformed Church in Western Pennsylva- 
nia. He was the first Reformed minister that preached 
the Gospel of Christ statedly in these parts, and by his 
faithful and self-denying labors, the foundations of the 
Reformed Church were laid in the congregations or- 
ganized by him. His resting place was not even 
marked by a stone until June, 1874. The exact spot 
of his grave could not with certainty be identified. But 
by an action of Westmoreland Classis, a suitable Monu- 
ment was ordered to be erected to his memory. The 
Monument is made of Scotch Granite, and cost $450. 
It was unveiled with appropriate ceremonies in the pre- 
sence of a large concourse of people on the 20th of June, 
1874. Thus the memory of the first Missionary Pastor 
of the Reformed Church of Western Pennsylvania, has 
been fitly honored, by this enduring tribute of respect, 
and his name will be held in grateful remembrance by 
future generations. 

Although the congregation itself has been extinct for 
some years, yet the sacred reminiscences of the past, 
connected with this defunct congregation, will ever be 
cherished with the deepest interest in the hearts of the 
Reformed people. Like its first pastor, the congrega- 
tion, too, has passed away, but has left the Old Church 
and Minister s Homestead behind, as an enduring monu- 
ment to its memory. 



232 THE EXTINCT CONGREGATIONS. 



This congregation does not appear ever to have 
reached any great degree of prosperity. The member- 
ship was never large. The first pastor of the congrega- 
tion was the Rev. John William Weber, who also or- 
ganized it. His ministry seems to have ended with the 
work of establishing this congregation. With it, the 
labors of his eventful life w r ere closed, and he was sum- 
moned to the Church above. 

The Rev. W. Weinel was his successor in this as also 
in some of his other congregations. He came to these 
congregations in 1816, a short time before the death of 
Father Weber. He first lived in Greensburg, after- 
wards in Mount Pleasant, and in 1820 he moved on 
the Milliron church-land, and resided here for a num- 
ber of years. 

The Kirchen-Buch, or record of the congregation, 
commenced in 1818. Rev. Weinel's last recorded bap- 
tism is April 18th, 1823, though he remained in the 
vicinity for some years after. The Rev. Charles Swisler 
was his successor in this congregation. His first baptism 
w T as recorded October 25th, 1829, and his last, July 
1833. 

The Rev. H. E. F. Voigt's ministry seems to have 
commenced here in 1837, and continued till about 1860, 
as regular pastor, though on the 15th of August of the 
year 1869, a baptism is recorded as performed by him. 
This is the last ministerial act recorded in the church- 
books of this congregation. Thus the Milliron congre- 
gation, as an organization, has ceased to exist, and 
belongs only to the things of the past. 



